Dutch startup Qorium has changed its name to Reyva as it prepares to develop its lab-grown leather business for the luxury sector. The company said the rebrand reflects its ambition to become a global material brand capable of meeting the demanding standards of luxury leather.
Reyva aims to offer real leather made without raising and slaughtering animals, while maintaining qualities associated with conventional hides. The company was co-founded in 2021 by Dr. Mark Post, who previously developed the world’s first laboratory-grown beef burger. In 2023, it appointed former Nike executive Michael Newton as chief executive as it moved toward commercialization.
The startup presented its first proof of concept for commercial-scale production in 2024. The cultivated leather sample measured 35 by 35 centimeters and helped attract additional funding to support the product’s development and market launch.
“Reyva reflects the company we have become: ambitious, design-led and ready to stand alongside the world’s leading material brands,” Newton said in a statement. He added that the company’s next stage would focus on creating a material that designers and manufacturers select for its appearance, consistency, performance and sustainability credentials.
According to Reyva, the name combines “re,” referring to the reinvention of leather, with “rey,” the Spanish word for “king,” as a symbol of luxury. The company says “va” conveys forward movement and may also reference the Spanish word meaning “goes.”
The company’s process begins with a small, painless biopsy. Collagen is then grown from animal cells through a proprietary process, forming uniform sheets that are tanned into what Reyva describes as real leather. Because it uses the same natural material responsible for conventional leather’s strength, breathability and durability, the resulting product is intended to retain those characteristics.
An independent life cycle assessment by CE Delft estimated that the material has an 87 percent lower carbon footprint than traditional leather. Reyva also cited a 2021 Material Innovation Initiative study involving more than 500 respondents in the United States, in which 55 percent said they preferred alternative leather. Most respondents were open to purchasing leather grown from animal cells in a factory.
Reyva is industrializing its production process at the Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus in the Netherlands. It is also working with selected partners in the automotive and luxury fashion industries as it moves from development toward commercial volumes. Initial availability will be limited, with capacity expected to increase as the company scales.
Sources: WWD.