Arda Biomaterials, a London-based startup developing leather and plastic alternatives from brewery and distillery waste, has raised £4 million in seed funding to expand its production capabilities. The round was led by Germany’s Oyster Bay Venture Capital, with follow-on participation from Clean Growth Fund and new backing from Kadmos Capital and Green Angel Ventures.
The investment will fund a new manufacturing facility in London five times the size of its current space, enabling Arda to ramp up output of its barley-based textile, New Grain. Derived from spent grains collected from beer and whisky producers, the material is designed to replace traditional leather and synthetic alternatives in fashion and automotive applications.
New Grain is already being trialled in accessories, including a collaboration with BEEN London to produce a snakeskin-style handbag. Arda says its method allows for customisation in colour and performance by drawing on the characteristics of different beer recipes—using natural grain colouration to skip chemical tanning processes entirely.
Arda’s proprietary chemistry extracts proteins from the grain and restructures them to mimic the fibre matrix found in animal hides, offering a scalable path to alternative materials. The startup is currently focused on forming partnerships with a select group of fashion brands ahead of broader commercial rollout.
Alongside the new facility, Arda will continue sourcing from major brewers, including AB InBev, through its participation in the 100+ Accelerator—an initiative backed by corporates including Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Danone.
