From Vineyard Waste to Luxury Fashion
BIOfutures in Conversation with Samantha Mureau | Sunday 1 March, 1pm UK
As the next chapter of BIOfutures in Conversation approaches, we’re delighted to spotlight the first of three thought-provoking sessions taking place on Sunday 1 March, beginning at 1 pm UK time / 2 pm CET here on Substack. Hosted live and online as part of World Futures Day, this trio of conversations continues our exploration of how biology, design and innovation intersect to shape the future of materials, systems and society.
The BIOfutures series - curated and hosted by Melissa Sterry, founder of Bioratorium® - brings visionary thinkers from across biodesign, biomaterials, technology and art into deep dialogue. Since its inception, the programme has featured pioneering voices re-imagining cities grown rather than built, living architectures, regenerative textiles and ecology-inspired design systems. Contributors have included Rachel Armstrong, Claudia Pasquero, Carole Collet, Veronica Ranner, Charlotte McCurdy, Gavin Munro, Andrew Grant, and Nancy Diniz, each offering insights into how advances in biological knowledge and material science can respond to urgent environmental and societal challenges.
In this first conversation on 1 March, our guest is Samantha Mureau, founder of Planet of the Grapes, a Provence-based biomaterials company transforming local grape waste into high-performance, leather-alternative materials. Rooted in circularity, craftsmanship and terroir, Samantha’s work takes grape marc (the skins, seeds and stalks left over from winemaking) and upcycles it into sustainable, design-ready biobased materials. Her approach bridges vineyard partnerships with designers and brands seeking responsible alternatives for fashion, lifestyle and transport applications, demonstrating how regional agricultural by-products can be reimagined as next-generation resources.
Following the session with Samantha on 1 March will be Biocrafted founder Chris Bellamy, who’s recent collaboration with Iris van Herpen for her Sympoiesis collection became one of the most iconic pieces to grace a catwalk in decades, and artist, designer and scuba diver Kasia Molga, whose practices at the intersection of biology, art and technology will be explored more fully in forthcoming posts.
The BIOfutures conversations extend Bioratorium®’s practice into the public realm, convening leading thinkers to critically examine how life-centred design can inform resilient futures.
We hope you’ll join us on this first Sunday in March to engage with ideas that matter at the intersection of nature, technology and creativity. Subscribe to our account - free of charge - to gain login access.
