In the Netherlands, Geneus Biotech is using cellular agriculture technology to “bioprint” fur that could replace the controversial mink farming industry. Dubbed Furoid, the lab-grown fur is 100% animal free.
“Furoid’s intention fits in with the recent attempts by cellular food companies to create foods such as caviar, foie gras and wagyu beef that are completely animal-friendly and can remove the dilemma between taste pleasure and guilt,” the company says.
The fur trade slaughters almost 100 million animals annually. Mink farming is also damaging to the planet, with one kilogram of mink fur resulting in over 100 kilograms of CO2 emissions. Geneus also claims its fur is hypoallergenic.
In addition to mink, Geneus has produced wool with the same technology. The company is looking to raise €2.5 million in pre-seed funding.