From Berlin Labs to Global Fashion Brands
Coffee grounds from Starbucks, orange peels, and apple skins are becoming the next generation of fabric. © PEELSPHERE
What if your morning coffee cup could end up as a luxury handbag? That is essentially the idea behind PEELSPHERE, a Berlin-born materials company that transforms agricultural waste like coffee grounds, orange peels, and apple skins into high-performance plant fiber leather. The startup has just closed a new round of financing, exclusively backed by Shenzhen Capital Group Co., Ltd. (SCGC), one of China's leading venture capital institutions, according to a report by 36Kr Europe.
PEELSPHERE was founded by Song Youyang while she was studying in Berlin. In 2020, with support from the Berlin government, she built an interdisciplinary team of designers and material scientists, winning top awards from the EU, Germany, the University of Oxford, and the Kering Group the same year.
The company uses its proprietary Deep Eutectic Solvent Technology to extract cellulose from plant waste and turn it into scalable, designable fabric materials. Its product lineup covers everything from seaweed-based high-end customization to nanofiber composites for footwear, automotive interiors, and consumer electronics.
The commercial traction is real: PEELSPHERE now supplies more than 30 fashion groups globally and works closely with brands including Boucheron, Balenciaga, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. Its flagship product line, Bestwaste, sources raw materials from Starbucks coffee grounds and distillery waste, covering around 85% of total shipments.
The fresh capital will go toward new product development and team growth. Berlin continues to be a launchpad for globally relevant deep-tech ventures.
Learn more about amazing materials being developed in Berlin.