Modern Meadow Enters Development Partnership with Mercedes-Benz: Leather Alternative for CONCEPT AMG GT XX Technology Program

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The use of Mercedes-Benz's LABFIBER Biotech Leather Alternative in the CONCEPT AMG GT XX is a first in the automotive sector and its creation is based on Modern Meadow's INNOVERA™

NUTLEY, N.J., June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Modern Meadow, a leader in bio-design, today announced that it has entered a development partnership with the Mercedes-Benz AG. In this context, Mercedes-Benz has leveraged Modern Meadow's INNOVERA™ to develop a bio-design leather alternative for its technology program CONCEPT AMG GT XX. The aim of the development partnership is to further develop this innovative material for series production and set new standards in vehicle interiors. Made of INNOVERA™, the leather alternative consists of a combination of chemically recycled AMG GT3 racing car tires, plant-based proteins and biopolymers. The recycling process is conducted in accordance with the mass balance approach. Because it replicates key properties of the collagens found in leather, the material offers a level of design freedom equivalent to that of traditional leather and can be produced with different finishes such as nubuck, full grain or suede, and in various colors and haptics.

"At Modern Meadow, we are redefining automotive interior possibilities with INNOVERA™, our next-generation transformative material that brings beauty, performance and sustainability into perfect balance," said CEO David Williamson, PhD. "In our development partnership with Mercedes-Benz, we have used INNOVERA™ to create a new luxury leather alternative without sacrificing aesthetics, versatility and texture. It looks and feels as good as it performs." 

Modern Meadow's INNOVERA™ achieves more than 80% renewable carbon content and is completely animal-free. INNOVERA™ requires no special preservation or storage conditions, which reduces complexity and costs, and is adaptable to any standard manufacturing process. Modern Meadow's commercial production capabilities make INNOVERA™ readily available to customers and simplify supply chain issues across the furniture, automotive, fashion, footwear and accessories industries.

In the CONCEPT AMG GT XX, one scrap tire provides the basis for approximately four square meters of this new, bio-designed material. The black seat pads of the bucket seats are covered with the Nappa-look variant. The innovative material emphasizes the performance character of the CONCEPT AMG GT XX. The bio-design means the leather alternative is breathable and waterproof, as well as lighter than traditional materials. Its maximum tensile strength is also twice as high as that of traditional materials, making it very robust and performant. With these unique properties, the material represents the new dimension of performance, which the technology program stands for in the vehicle's interior. Modern Meadow's bio-design technology used to create this leather alternative included recycled racing tires that were used in tough competition on AMG GT3 customer racing cars.

About Modern Meadow & INNOVERA™
INNOVERA™ is the transformative material crafted using plant-based proteins, biopolymers and recycled rubber, resulting in more than 80% renewable carbon content. Completely animal-free, INNOVERA™ is masterfully engineered to replicate the look and feel of the collagen found in leather. Developed by the bio-design company Modern Meadow (Nutley, New Jersey, USA), INNOVERA™ redefines what's possible across the automotive, footwear, furniture and fashion accessories spaces, creating high-performance products with a lower environmental impact. Versatile, functional, immediately scalable and adaptable to any process, INNOVERA™ flows seamlessly with creativity: a material that works in perfect harmony with the legacy of tanneries and brands, without compromising on quality or performance. For more information, visit innovera-world.com or follow the company on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Modern Meadow Media Contact
Jordan Vines
+1 (540) 629-3137
[email protected]

SOURCE Modern Meadow