New Group Aims to Advance Sustainable Vegan Materials in Multiple Industries

Nonprofit organization Material Innovation Initiative (MII) recently launched to help accelerate the development of sustainable vegan materials for the fashion, automotive, and home goods industries. MII works to seek out innovative materials—from under-explored biological materials like mycelium to leather grown directly from cells, not cows—and fast-tracks them to the marketplace by aligning key players in the industry. 

MII founders Stephanie Downs and Nicole Rawling—who are veterans of the plant-based food industry—created the organization to bring animal-free alternatives to the fashion industry using the same strategies that propelled innovative vegan meats into the mainstream. “We can transform the materials industry and solve enormous environmental problems,” Rawling said. “We’re bringing together scientists and entrepreneurs to provide brands with the technical insights and expert support they need. Together we can meet sustainability goals and embrace new materials that consumers—and the planet—are demanding.”