Uncaged Innovations wants to design the future to elevate the industry. Literally.
The biomaterials company just opened applications for its Design the Future contest, which will award one global winner with everything needed to create their first collection. Which tracks, given the startup’sstartup’s ethos.
“When we first started Uncaged, I thought, ‘I want to find a way to not just work with the big players,’ you know. I also wanted to have certain systems in place,” Stephanie Downs, the White Plains firm’s co-founder and CEO, told SJ. “Our minimum order quantity is 15 square feet, right; we intentionally tried to figure out how to best serve smaller brands.”
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Brainchild of Uncaged’s marketing director Felipe Molina, Design the Future calls on visionary creatives to push the boundaries of material innovation with Elevate: Uncaged’s inaugural and biobased “not-an-alternative” leather.
“We’re just trying to build a little more of an inclusive customer base,” said Downs, who previously founded a company that became one of India’s largest plant-based meat providers. “So, we just thought to do that in a fun way.”
Applicants are encouraged to “explore the future of sustainable materials” with “innovative and creative” designs. The global competition focuses on the categories of fashion, accessories and footwear. The application begins with a sketch—be it a hand-drawn illustration, digital sketch, CAD rendering or visual conceptualizations like mood boards—depicting the intended creation.
“We’re not judging perfection—we’re looking for vision, creativity and originality,” the instructions prefaced. “No prior experience with biomaterials is required, but a strong design background is essential.”
If selected, applicants will get up to 10 square feet (roughly one square meter) of Elevate, as to help define the size and scope of the designer’s final product.
A panel of leading experts will select 10 finalists based on creativity, innovation and craftsmanship. Selected applicants will receive an Elevate kit box with Uncaged’s exclusive bio-lather—shades in onyx black, cherry red, coffee brown and stone grey—with 30 days to execute. Instructions on material handling, technical specifications and submission guidelines will be provided as well.
The jury will select one winner to receive a full-support prize to launch their first collection. The jury consists of Chelsea Franklin, head of advanced concepts at Pangaia; Claire Weiss, head of innovation at the Sustainable Angle; Melina Bucher, sustainable fashion designer and professor; Annick Ireland, co-founder at the Immaculate Vegan; and John B., director at Parsons School of Design. Uncaged’s Downs rounds out the bench of adjudicators. The contest will
“One grand winner will receive full support from Uncaged to bring their collection to life with Elevate,” the contest stipulated. “The top designs will be featured in Uncaged’s global network, gaining exposure in the sustainable fashion and materials industry.”
On top of complimentary access (priced at $2,000) to Uncaged’s material, social media exposure through Uncaged’s channels and global network of partners is also free of charge. Bucher—who operates her label’s master atelier in southern Germany—will coach the winner on finding factory partners and best production practices. Downs—a three-time startup founder—will provide mentorship. Additional fashion and venture capital industry experts will hop on coaching calls tailored to the winner’s needs and location.
“By educating and getting students excited about this—they’re the future designers in these brands. As opposed to having to educate later, just get them knowledgeable now,” Downs, who previously co-founded the Material Innovation Initiative, said. “They probably won’t be a customer for, like, 10 years, but we’re planting good seeds.”
The contest follows the $5.6 million seed funding Uncaged raised last July to commercialize its biobased, plastic-free leather made from grains.
Elevate works by blending structural proteins from grains with other biobased elements to build fibral networks—effectively replacing the cow-sourced collagen necessary for traditional leather. A third-party life cycle analysis found that Uncaged’s end product emits 95 percent less greenhouse gases, 93 percent less water and 72 percent less energy than the animal-based incumbent.
Hopefuls have through May 21 to apply.
