Biofabricated Fabrics Show Promise, But Fashion Supply Chains Lag

At this year’s Première Vision Paris trade show, designers highlighted biofabricated materials grown from fungi, bacteria and agricultural waste, positioning them as the next sustainable alternative to leather, polyester and cotton. Yet the same traditional fibres dominate everyday wardrobes. The gap is not only cost—biofabricated textiles often appear in luxury collections—but also the difficulty of translating laboratory growth into industrial production. New materials must be dried, coloured, finished, tested and manufactured consistently at scale, a process that existing textiles have refined for decades. Small variations in growing conditions can alter performance, challenging the repeatability required by global brands. Moreover, many biofabricated fabrics still need chemical treatments or energy‑intensive processing, so “bio” does not automatically mean greener. To move beyond concept pieces, designers, researchers and manufacturers must collaborate to build supply chains that deliver reliable, environmentally beneficial products to consumers.