Natural Fiber Welding

Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), a company operating material brands Clarus and Mirum, develops a technology that can recycle plants and natural fibers to make textiles and other durable items. As of August 2022, Clarus, which would offer performance cotton textiles produced from molecularly bonded recycled fibers, remained at the demonstration stage and is seeking global partners. Mirum, a synthetic material created through the reformatting of natural, biodegradable polymers from hemp, waste cork, coconut, and vegetable oil had reached commercialization and could be used across handbags, clothing, footwear, and car interiors. Unlike other plant-based leather alternatives, the product does not use plastic resins, glues, or coatings, making it 100% free of petroleum-based plastic.

In February 2021, NFW announced plans to set up a new plant in Illinois to expand the production of “Mirum”. The facility would span over 110,000 sq. ft. and was expected to expand its workforce of 80 (as of February 2021) by an additional 100 employees by the end of 2021.

Key customers and partnerships

For Mirum, NFW presented a pilot project together with India-based automotive supplier, Motherson, to develop bio-based door trims for the Porsche Taycan (February 2020). The company also received a USD 13 million investment from leading luxury lifestyle brand Ralph Lauren in August 2020. The investment forms a part of Ralph Lauren’s goal of sourcing 100% of its key materials from sustainable sources by 2025. The two companies unveiled the bio-based “RLX Clarus Polo” shirt for Ralph Lauren in January 2022 .

NFW’s other partnerships include plant-based bag brand Bellroy to incorporate Mirum in Bellroy’s plant-based pouches in February 2021 and its wallet collection “Slim Sleeve” in May 2022 , Medike-Landes, a global manufacturer of labels, trims, and accessories to launch a patch and trim collection, Richemont, a jewelry, fashion, and accessories brand, to use natural materials in Richemont’s products (April 2021), and Brave GentleMan, New-York-based vegan footwear brand, to launch the latter’s gender-neutral shoe collection made from Mirum ( August 2022 ). In July 2022, launched “MiraTex,” luxury watch straps made from Mirum in partnership with luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen (a brand within Richemont’s product portfolio). In February 2023 , the company partnered with The Lenzing Group, an Austria-based supplier of specialty fibers, to offer TENCEL branded fibers as an alternative for NFW's patented plant-based technology, MIRUM.

In March 2023 , the company, along with ArenaMend, an arena footing company that develops plastic-free and natural solutions, launched Noviun, a blend of natural fibers that is free of plastic and creates a riding surface suitable for all types of sand and environments. During the same period, NFW and Pangaia , a British sustainable fashion brand, jointly launched Air-Gilet, a bio-based black vest, featuring Pangaia’s FLWRDWN and thinner version of Mirum by NFW.

Funding and financials

NFW received USD 2 million in investment from Allbirds, a sustainability-focused footwear and apparel brand in March 2021. Allbirds planned to incorporate NFW’s vegan leather in its footwear offerings by December 2021. The investment could also lead to Allbirds using NFW’s plant-based materials to manufacture other products, including socks, shoes, t-shirts, underwear, sweaters, jackets, and face masks.

In April 2022 , NFW raised USD 85 million in Series B funding led by Evolution VC partners. In October 2023, the company secured an undisclosed investment from Asahi Kasei to develop leather alternatives for car interiors. In March 2024, the company disclosed that it has secured USD 24.8 million to scale up operations.