New Materials, New Possibilities: Designers Discuss Creative Opportunities with Bio-Based Materials — Recording Now Available

On Friday, 2 October 2026, as part of Sustainable Fashion Week, we hosted the discussion panel ‘New Materials, New Possibilities: Designers Discuss Creative Opportunities with Bio-Based Materials’, bringing together four designers and brand founders who work with these materials every day: Sarah Regensburger (Sarah Regensburger), Emilija Balsyte (Balsais), Wioletta Wiertel (BOHEMA Clothing) and Paras Doshi (Doshi).

Together, we discussed the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of using next-gen, bio-based materials. We started with the personal reasons behind each designer’s decision to move away from animal-derived materials, and how that initial choice evolved into continuing to test and work with some of the newest bio-based materials entering the market.

‘I became vegan before launching my brand. (…) For me, it’s one sentence: life does not have a price. And it should not have a price because what we are wearing in fashion or glamorising a lot of times is an animal’s life.’

Sarah Regensburger, designer and founder of Sarah Regensburger

‘While a lot of conversations focus on the price of such garments made from new materials, as well as whether those materials can compete with the scale of traditional fashion, I was more interested in seeing what the talent and innovation within today’s industry could create for the future, and how I could eventually contribute to it.’

Emilija Balsyte, founder of Balsais

Perhaps what kept the viewers most engaged were the genuinely behind-the-scenes stories. From Sarah’s non-glueable cactus coat (‘You get very creative when you have your own business, don’t you?’), to Paras’s material investment that proved a little — well, to be precise, a ‘couple of hundred yards’ — too enthusiastic and now sits unused, to Wiola’s shoes melting because workshops were still learning how to work with plant-based leather alternatives, the discussion revealed the very hands-on reality of working with new materials.

But as entertaining as the ‘try and fail’ stories are, they also reveal the passion and determination of those working to bring these materials into everyday fashion. They offer a very tangible lesson in what it takes to keep working within demanding constraints rather than abandoning an approach simply because it gets difficult.

We also talked about what designers and small brands need from material innovators to make collaborations work — and, ultimately, to bring next-gen materials from the laboratory and studio into the hands of customers.

Finally, we unpacked the second ‘why’: why is it so rewarding to work with these materials?

‘Plant-based leather alternatives are the future. They are not only for vegans, they are for everyone. (…) We have a lot of situations where people see our shoes in an ad and come to our store, and then see it’s a plant-based material and they are like, “Wait, this is cactus or grape leather?” (…) People are more open to alternatives. A few years ago they asked, “Is this plastic?” and now they ask us, “How does it age?” “How do I take care of it?”’

Wioletta Wiertel, co-founder and CMO of BOHEMA Clothing

‘We have materials that are better than what’s been there before. And if we keep using these materials and grow the demand and popularity of them, the people making these materials will progress.’

Paras Doshi, founder of Doshi

But we won’t give away everything here! Watch the full recording for a glimpse behind the scenes of working with next-gen, bio-based materials, including the practical lessons, challenges and unexpected moments that come with being among the first to work with them.

After all, with so much already said and done in fashion, how often do we get to truly create something unprecedented — for the very first time?

And perhaps one final teaser:

‘I wish similar discussions were initiated when I started building the brand.’

Emilija Balsyte

Watch the full recording on YouTube: direct link