T-rex leather being developed by scientists - but it will cost you a fortune

Newcastle-based scientists have hailed progress in their efforts to create leather from T-Rex DNA. BSF Enterprise, a group of tissue engineering companies and associated with Newcastle

University research, is developing the prehistoric-derived, world first material within its Newcastle laboratories. The firm is already talking with potential fashion industry clients to

make the material into T-Rex based garments and accessories. Through its subsidiary Lab-Grown Leather Ltd, BSF Enterprise - which emphasises the ethical and environmental benefits of

lab-grown leathers - has formed alliances with marketing firm VML, part of the WPP advertising empire, and The Organoid Company, a genome engineering authority, to transform the concept of

T-Rex leather into reality. Using fossilised T-Rex collagen the project involves engineering cells with synthetic DNA, and bringing it together with 'Elemental X' - a product of

Lab-Grown Leather Ltd. - which facilitates natural structural formation of the material akin to genuine leather, reports Chronicle Live. BSF Enterprise says the method can be applied to all

manner of species, past or present. Che Connon, the director at BSF, said: "Our proprietary advanced tissue engineering platform has once again proven its versatility. "By

collaborating with VML and The Organoid Company, we're unlocking the potential to engineer leather from prehistoric species, starting with the formidable T-Rex. This venture showcases

the power of cell-based technology to create materials that are both innovative and ethically sound." Thomas Mitchell, who spearheads The Organoid Company, said: "This project is a

remarkable example of how we can harness cutting-edge genome and protein engineering to create entirely new materials. By reconstructing and optimizing ancient protein sequences, we can

design T. Rex leather, a biomaterial inspired by prehistoric biology, and clone it into a custom-engineered cell line." Mr Mitchell added: "At The Organoid Company, we're

passionate about pushing the frontiers of synthetic biology, not just to transform medicine, but to support companies like Lab-Grown Leather and VML to pioneer sustainable alternatives for

the materials of tomorrow." BSF's enterprising T-Rex-based efforts come at the same time as its progress in creating exceptionally slender leather for the fashion world. A recent

patent application relates to its Elemental+ product, which achieves a remarkable thinness of 0.04mm, marking a significant advancement over conventional leather material. This development

paves the way for its application in industries such as sportswear, electric vehicles and aerospace, where weight is a crucial factor. BSF asserts that conventional animal leather loses its

integrity and strength when processed to less than 0.4mm.