Bio-materials start-up Biofluff has named Luke Henning as interim CEO. He’s been its chairman for the past two years and will lead the company “as it scales its commercial operations and accelerates market entry for its sustainable fur alternatives”.
Luke Henning – Biofluff
It has also announced three new strategic advisors: Matt Scullin, CEO of MycoWorks; Chloe Reuter, co-founder of Reuter Communications; and Shashin Surti, co-founder of The Merido. This expanded advisory network “brings deep expertise in biomaterials commercialisation, market expansion and development to support BioFluff’s scale-up journey”.
As mentioned, the company focuses on alternatives to fur, but also plush and comfort materials. It said it “collaborates with nature to create innovative low-impact alternatives to animal-derived and plastic-based fabrics. The company’s pioneering approach and dedication to sustainability have garnered recognition and support from the luxury fashion industry and beyond”.
As interim CEO, Henning “brings extensive experience in the sustainable materials sector”, having previously served as co-founder and chief business officer at textile-to-textile recycler Circ.
From 2013, he “played an instrumental role in building the financial foundation and operational strategy underpinning Circ’s commercial success and global expansion”.
His appointment to the helm of BioFluff comes as the company “focuses on expanding its sales and distribution channels across fashion, interiors, and toys markets”.
And he said “we’re out of time when it comes to transitioning to sustainable materials, and BioFluff has developed solutions that are ready for market now. My focus is on accelerating the entry of these products so we can start making a real difference”.
BioFluff’s approach leverages existing mill capacity, primarily within Europe, rather than requiring significant capital expenditure for new facilities. It said its drop-in manufacturing model “enables rapid scaling and positions the company to meet growing demand across multiple market segments without the lengthy construction timelines typical of novel materials ventures”.
The company is undeniably busy at the moment and is currently raising $2.5 million to scale production capabilities, expand its sales team, and build inventory for faster order fulfilment.