Meet Selen Tavtın, a fashion designer who got tired of feeling guilty about contributing to environmental destruction. Growing up where forest meets sea, she decided to do something that would make Mother Nature proud: create leather without harming a single animal and without using any toxic chemicals.
When Nature Becomes Your Design Partner
In her kitchen-turned-laboratory, Selen discovered something extraordinary. Through fermentation (that’s the same process that gives us beer, but way cooler), she could create a material that looks and feels like leather but comes straight from nature’s recipe book.
“HER biomaterial is a cellulose-based leather-like biomaterial created through fermentation without using hazardous chemicals,” Selen explains while stroking a piece of her creation that looks suspiciously like designer leather but has never seen a cow.
From Kitchen Experiments to Fashion Revolution
What started as home experiments has evolved into HERStudio, where science meets fashion in the most sustainable threesome you’ve ever heard of (throw in art for good measure). The name “HER” isn’t just clever branding – it’s a tribute to Mother Nature herself.
“Could the world change if I change my world first?” Selen asked herself back in 2018. Turns out, the answer was a resounding yes. She’s moved from kitchen experiments to a proper laboratory, where her team is preparing to scale up production without compromising their “no nasties” policy.
Why HER is Different
Here’s why it’s interesting. While other companies are busy slapping “bio” labels on polyurethane (PU) (spoiler alert: the biobased polyurethane version of leather is also not great for the environment), HERStudio is doing something radical – trusting nature’s own processes.
Their material:
- Uses no hazardous chemicals
- Has a reusable waste management strategy
- Is completely biodegradable
- Has a characterisable 2D shape and dimension feature
- Looks like leather but with a clear conscience
- Reduces carbon emissions dramatically
Nature’s Recipe for Success
What makes HERStudio truly unique is their stubbornness about staying clean. The water they use remains pure enough to repurpose, and even their waste gets a second life. “Nothing is impossible in nature,” the HER team declares.
The Future is Growing in a Lab
Currently in R&D phase, HERStudio isn’t just creating a product – they’re building a movement. Their vision extends beyond fashion to automotive and interior design. They even dream of creating a bio-design academy where nature’s intelligence meets human creativity.
Want to Join the Revolution?
HERStudio is looking for:
- Strategic partnerships with like-minded brands
- Support from institutes and laboratories
- People who believe in a future where fashion doesn’t cost the Earth
- Opportunities to scale production
At GICA, we’re excited to support innovators like Selen who are proving that sustainability isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a recipe for success. Want to be part of this natural revolution? Visit gica.community to learn more about supporting sustainable innovation and read other articles.
Remember: Every time you support companies like HERStudio, somewhere in the world, a cow breathes a sigh of relief, and Mother Nature gives a standing ovation. And isn’t that better than another leather jacket with a side of guilt?
Selen on LinkedIn? Here!
