Building a world-renowned Chinese bio-materials brand

Upon entering the newly minted office of Shenzhen Pufei Technology Co. Ltd. in Guangming Science City, visitors are immediately attracted to the vibrant colors popping in every corner: yellow bananas, red apples, a bright blue sofa, and a display of bio-leather goods in Morandi colors.

Surprisingly, these handbags, shoes, chairs, and tissue holders are crafted from bio-leather made from coffee grounds, fruit waste, algae and other non-grain agricultural waste — a transformation is realized through advanced material engineering devised by company founder Song Youyang and her team of designers and engineers.

Kering Group CEO François-Henri Pinault (C) chats with PEELSPHERE founder Song Youyang (L) at the company’s booth during ChangeNOW, a global sustainable fashion summit that took place in Paris from May 19 to 21, 2022. File photo

Founded in 2022, Pufei specializes in the research, development, and production of sustainable materials. Its flagship brand, PEELSPHERE, focuses on transforming non-grain agricultural waste into biodegradable plant-based materials that offers an alternative to leather. Notably, it is the first Chinese plant-based fabric brand to enter the supply chains of international luxury goods groups and prominent automotive manufacturers.

Now, Song has an even bigger dream — to build a world-renowned Chinese bio-materials brand and make sustainability a part of daily life. “When it comes to material brands, people typically think of Japan’s Toray, America’s Gore-Tex, and Italy’s Alcantara,” Song told Shenzhen Daily during a recent interview.

“However, when we talk about Chinese materials, it’s always associated with the supply chain. My goal is to build PEELSPHERE into a famous fabric brand from China, which is also sustainable for the growth of our company.”

From Berlin to Shenzhen

Before settling in Shenzhen, Song spent 10 years studying textile design and working as a designer in Berlin, Germany. Song first started experimenting with leather made from fruit leaves after failing to find 100% biodegradable, bio-based materials for her own designs. This led her and her lab partners to explore food waste, specifically banana and orange peels.

Starting in 2018, Song began researching new materials. Utilizing bio-polymer technology and specialized manufacturing processes, she and her team developed Algaeskin™, a biodegradable material made from algae and fruit waste.

A handbag made with PEELSPHERE’s bio-leather material. Lin Jianping

PEELSPHERE debuted at the 2019 Berlin Art Exhibition, immediately garnering international attention. Song became a rising star in material design and was recognized by Forbes as one of six global female representatives in sustainable fashion.

She also became the first Chinese person to win the German Sustainability Award. Her accolades also include the Kering Generation Award, the University of Oxford’s Best Innovation Award, and Fortune’s Best Design Award.

In early 2022, with the support of the German and the European Union (EU) governments, Song successfully made bio-materials by combining textile design and material science. Later that year, funded by international luxury group Kering, Song brought her four years of research to Shenzhen and founded Pufei.

Partnerships

PEELSPHERE’s Algaeskin™ and Bestwaste™ bio-leather series passed the EU’s rigorous testing in terms of material content, performance, and usability. The company has since secured procurement partnerships with several leading global luxury brands, with initial orders already delivered.

According to Song, Algaeskin™ is the world’s first 100% bio-based, translucent biotech leather developed using algae as a raw material, while Bestwaste™ is a plant-based fabric series made from non-food agricultural waste like coffee cherries and grounds.

PEELSPHERE’s materials find applications in various sectors, including fashion, 3C (computers, communications, and consumer electronics), jewelry, automobiles, and home decor.

The company has collaborated with multiple luxury brands under Kering Group, as well as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, MOFT, 7or9, and, most recently, the high-end outdoor brand TSUBO. Notable cases include a car cover for Mercedes-Benz EQE models, women’s shoes for 7or9, and outdoor apparel for TSUBO.

“As an ideal alternative to leather and synthetic leather, PEELSPHERE is beautiful, durable, versatile, and biodegradable,” Song said.

PEELSPEHRE collaborates with Starbucks in South China to use its coffee cherries and grounds as production materials.

Song believes that collaborating with world-renowned brands will increase PEELSPHERE’s global exposure and help it integrate further into their supply chains. She emphasized that eco-friendliness, high performance, and cost-effectiveness are key for PEELSPHERE to build a successful brand.

Building a brand

Discussing her company’s long-term goals, Song shared, “Our ultimate goal is definitely to build a brand. Moreover, we’re capable of building a famous brand with our sustainable philosophy and technology.” Song also revealed that PEELSPHERE will participate in Design Shanghai 2025 in June and launch new products globally in September.

Drawing on her experience, Song suggested that those who want to start a business should be single-minded and passionate about what they are doing. “I think it’s enough if one can do one thing well in small increments every day,” she said.

Song added that settling in Shenzhen was the right choice for her and her company. “Shenzhen is an integral part of the growth strategy for my company. People here are efficient, target-oriented, and down-to-earth. I’m happy to be among this crowd.”