Balenciaga has introduced garments made with bioengineered silk protein yarns from AMSilk in its Spring 2026 ready-to-wear collection. The pieces mark the first commercial use of AMSilk’s material in fashion.

AMSilk’s yarns are developed in Germany using microbial fermentation. Engineered microorganisms produce proteins inspired by spider silk DNA, which are then processed into yarns that closely resemble traditional silk in look and feel.

The garments are designed to match the performance of conventional silk while offering added benefits such as elasticity and wrinkle resistance. The material is microplastic-free, biodegradable and vegan, approved by the Vegan Society and tested for skin safety by the Hohenstein Textile Testing Institute.

According to AMSilk, the production process uses significantly less water and produces far lower carbon emissions than traditional silk, as it relies on precision fermentation instead of animal-based or fossil-derived inputs.