Uncaged Innovations is taking fake leather to the next level with plant-based materials aimed at cars. The startup’s material uses grains like wheat, soy, and corn instead of plastics or animal hides. It looks, feels, and even smells a lot like real leather.
The company is working with Hyundai’s Cradle division to customize its leather alternative for automotive interiors. Their goal: a durable, eco-friendly option with 95% lower carbon footprint than traditional leather. They’re also partnering with Jaguar Land Rover.
Traditional leather wastes a ton of cowhides because of scars and defects. Uncaged’s product, made in factories, offers consistent quality. Pricing sits mid-market—small orders under $10 per square foot, large orders about half that. 
Heat resistance is the biggest technical hurdle. Uncaged is testing to meet auto industry standards. One goal is 95°C for 500 hours. So far, they’ve reached 85°C for 500 hours.
Co-founder and CEO Stephanie Downs explained how they mimic leather’s chemical structure using plant proteins to create fibril structures:
“Leather is not just leather,” co-founder and CEO Stephanie Downs told TechCrunch. “There’s literally a thousand types of leather: different animals, different thicknesses, different ways that they tan it. We had to develop something that could be really easily customizable.”
“We started diving into testing literally hundreds of different plant ingredients and different combinations to see if we could get them create fibril structures,” Downs said. “And what [co-founder Xiaokun Wang] ultimately developed was a way to turn plant proteins into those types of structures.”
“One of the automotive companies wants us to be at 95 [degrees] C for 500 hours. And we’ve already, in our first round of experiments, we achieved 85 C and made it through that for 500 hours,” she said.
“Automotive companies have talked to us about developing their signature scent that’ll be exclusive to them. We’ve had handbag manufacturers ask, ‘Can you make it smell like our signature fragrances?’” Downs said. “That’s been so much more popular than I had imagined.”
The material is laid on a plant fiber backing, both biodegradable. A 0.01 mm bio-based polyurethane layer adjusts grip and finish. Mineral pigments and embossing create colors and textures. They can add natural scents, like flowers or custom branding smells.
Uncaged’s material is already used in vegan handbags and watch straps. Now, automakers could slash leather demand, cutting waste and the environmental impact of cattle farming.
Next stop: getting this plant leather into your next car ride.
