Three companies, VML and Lab-Grown Leather Ltd., along with biotech firm The Organoid Company, announced a partnership to create cruelty-free, environmentally friendly luxury leather using Tyrannosaurus rex DNA. However, some researchers are skeptical about the feasibility of their method.
The companies aim to harness “the biology of the past” to create high-quality materials for the future. According to their statement, they will use Tyrannosaurus rex collagen as a blueprint and engineer cells with synthetic DNA. This process would supposedly result in a material that is structurally identical to traditional leather.
However, scientists are questioning the accuracy of their claims. Mary Higby Schweitzer, a molecular paleontologist, stated that using T-Rex collagen to make leather is not feasible, as leather comes from skin and keratin, which are found in all terrestrial vertebrates. Additionally, preserving dinosaur DNA decays rapidly, making it difficult to study.
The companies plan to start with fashion accessories before scaling up to a luxury flagship product by the end of the year. While this project holds promise for sustainability, critics argue that consumers could opt for more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as thrifted or recycled materials.
This latest partnership joins similar projects that have sparked debate about the authenticity and scientific feasibility of claims made by companies using science to legitimize their ideas.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/dinosaur-purse-scientists-arent-buying-this-t-rex-leather-claim-2000595871