As the automotive industry keeps shifting gears in pursuit of greener practices—and car interiors—Uncaged Innovations is buckling up. The New York startup announced its partnership with Hyundai Cradle, the motor group’s global open innovation hub, to develop those alt leather interiors.
“Automotive interiors require the highest-possible durability and quality,” said Stephanie Downs, CEO and co-founder of Uncaged Innovations. “Developing a scalable, sustainable alternative for vehicle interiors underpins the strength of the technology behind our entire platform, helping us create luxurious and durable materials for a wide range of applications and industries.”
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Founded in 2020 by Downs and Dr. Xiaokun Wang, the company’s Elevate offering cuts greenhouse gases by 95 percent, water usage by 89 percent and energy consumption by 71 percent compared to traditional leather. Hyundai Cradle was particularly interested in the material’s distinctive structure and production process, per an executive at the center.
“Uncaged’s grain-based protein leather alternative stood out to us for its unique molecular design and manufacturing process,” said Brendon Kim, senior vice president and head of Hyundai Cradle Silicon Valley. “It allows us to drastically lower environmental impact while meeting the demanding quality and performance standards of automotive interiors.”
That manufacturing looks like this: Uncaged uses grain proteins fused with plant-based elements to create collagen-like scaffolding with its BioFuze technology. The ability to mimic the texture and performance of trad-gen leather proteins is what sets Elevate apart from competitors that rely on carbohydrate-heavy inputs, like mycelium and apple skin.
“Uncaged’s approach, which minimizes chemical inputs and leverages natural resources like coffee bean shells for dyes, aligns perfectly with Hyundai Motor Group’s sustainability material strategy of prioritizing high bio content and minimal chemical use,” Kim said.
Scaled for full roll-to-roll production, Uncaged has raised $7.9 million and partnered with global brands like Sans Beast from Australia and Melina Butcher from Germany, as well as Argentina-based leather bag manufacturer Humo Estudio, among others.
Last month, Uncaged signed a proof of concept (POC) with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), further indicating the auto industry’s growing appetite for next-generation materials.
