Melina Bucher, a luxury brand from Germany, has joined hands with Modern Meadow, a leading bio-design company, to produce the world’s first handbags made with Innovera suede. This new material is used in three sculptural handbags, Loulou, Bailey and Tessa East West. Innovera is completely free from animal products and brings together beauty, strength and sustainability in one material.

The collection is introduced in rich chocolate shades and features three unique, geometric shapes. Loulou has a half-moon design that mixes a firm frame with soft suede sides. Bailey is a structured handbag with sharp lines, strengthened at the handles and edges with Elevate, a bio-based leather alternative from Uncaged Innovations. Tessa completes the range with its long shape and structured form that reflects the modern East-West style, created with biobased materials. All three handbags are handmade in Melina Bucher’s German studio, combining traditional craftsmanship with new-age material technology.

Innovera is made using patented plant proteins, advanced biopolymers and recycled tyre rubber. It has the soft feel of suede but performs even better. It is lighter, stronger and more resistant to scratches and water, helping each handbag stay beautiful during everyday use. With over 80% renewable or recycled content, Innovera removes the ethical concerns linked to animal suede and provides a mainly biobased option to synthetic microfibres.

“This launch continues our goal to redefine luxury through innovation,” said Bucher. “With Innovera suede, we connect beauty, performance and responsibility, proving that handbags can be luxurious not in spite of sustainability, but because of it.”