Draft:Polybion

Polybion is a Mexican biotechnology company founded in 2015 in Irapuato, Guanajuato, that develops next-generation materials based on bacterial cellulose [1][2].

Its flagship product, Celium, is a lightweight membrane grown by feeding agro-industrial fruit waste to Komagataeibacter strains; the resulting film can be tanned, dyed and embossed on standard leather-finishing equipment [3].

In March 2022 the start-up raised US $4.4 million in Series A funding led by impact investor Blue Horizon [4], enabling completion of a 14,500 sq ft, solar-powered facility designed to produce up to 1.1 million sq ft of Celium per year [5]. Polybion won first prize in the 2019 MassChallenge Mexico accelerator, the programme’s highest award [6].

In 2024 its Celium project was selected as one of eleven global winners of the Redesign Everything Challenge organised by What Design Can Do and the IKEA Foundation [7].

The material has been trialled by several fashion labels. Danish brand Ganni has shown garments and accessories made with Celium at Copenhagen Fashion Week (2023) and on the Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025 runway [8].

1 Nathaniel Berg, “Grow Your Own Sports Bra!”, The New Yorker, 22 Aug 2022. The New Yorker

2 “MassChallenge Mexico Announces Top Prize Winners from 2019 Cohort”, MassChallenge.org, 2019. masschallenge.org

3 “Polybion Creates ‘Entirely New Category’ With Global Launch of Celium”, Vegconomist, 2023. vegconomist.com

4 “Polybion Secures US $4.4 Million Led by Blue Horizon”, YarnsandFibers, 16 Mar 2022.

5 “Polybion Scales Up ‘World’s First’ Bacterial Cellulose Facility After Raising $4.4 M”, Vegconomist, 15 Mar 2022. vegconomist.com

6 See ref 2.

7 Richard van der Laken, “Shaping the Future of Materials with Bacteria”, What Design Can Do, 8 Oct 2024. What Design Can Do

8 Charlotte Pointing, “Making Its Global Debut, Polybion’s Celium Bio-Leather Creates a New Material Category”, Ethos, 7 May 2024. The Ethos

Polybion is a Mexican biotechnology company that develops next-generation materials using biofabrication technologies. The company produces bacterial cellulose by feeding agroindustrial fruit waste to specific strains of bacteria, generating a natural polymer that can serve as an alternative to animal-based leather and petroleum-derived synthetics. History Polybion was founded in 2015 in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico by brothers Axel and Alexis Gómez-Ortigoza, along with PhD biotechnologist Bárbara González Rolón. The founding team combines backgrounds in engineering, biotechnology, and science communication. The company was created to address environmental issues associated with livestock, food waste, and plastic by developing materials through circular and sustainable practices. In 2019, Polybion was awarded first place in the MassChallenge acceleration program for Latin America. This milestone brought visibility to the startup within the bioeconomy and sustainability innovation ecosystem. In 2021, Polybion closed a multi-million euro Series A funding round led by Blue Horizon, a European venture capital fund focused on food and material innovation. The funding supported the development of the company’s first industrial-scale production facility. Technology and Products Polybion’s flagship product is Celium™, a bacterial cellulose-based membrane. It is cultivated by feeding waste from the fruit processing industry to bacteria, which then synthesize cellulose. The material is grown layer by layer and can be modified in terms of thickness, flexibility, and texture during the cultivation process. Celium is lightweight and can be finished with customizable properties such as color, graining, and water resistance. In 2024, Polybion announced a novel biochromatic process in which violacein-producing bacteria are used to dye Celium from within, resulting in deep violet hues without synthetic pigments. This work explores a new material language where biology becomes the designer, creating patterns and textures naturally. Collaborations and Recognition Celium™ has been featured in several collaborations with international fashion brands. Since 2023, Polybion has worked closely with GANNI, a Copenhagen-based brand. Celium appeared on the runway during Paris Fashion Week in both 2024 and 2025 as part of GANNI's seasonal collections. Polybion has also been profiled by international media including Vogue Business, Sourcing Journal, Dezeen, Fashion Network, and Sustainable Brands. The company has been recognized for its innovation at events such as What Design Can Do, where it was named one of the winners of the 2024 Redesign Everything Challenge. See also Biomaterials Bacterial cellulose Sustainable fashion Cellular agriculture References [1] "Celium Returns: Polybion & GANNI’s Second Leap into Paris Fashion Week," Texfash, March 2025. [2] "Polybion and Paris Fashion Week: A New Era for Biomaterials," GoCirculaire Journal, March 2025. [3] "GANNI F/W 2025 Runway Collection," Vogue, March 2025. [4] "Biology as Designer: Polybion Develops Natural Violacein Aesthetic," Polybion Press Kit, March 2025. [5] "Winners of What Design Can Do Redesign Everything Challenge Announced," WDCD, October 2024. [6] "Blue Horizon leads Series A investment in Polybion," Sourcing Journal, 2021.

External links Official website