1. Recover
New Zealand biomaterials platform
From Agricultural Waste to Global Materials
Materially Kiwi is building a circular biomaterials platform that transforms New Zealand kiwifruit side streams into high-value material inputs, beginning with premium leather-like materials for fashion, accessories and interiors.
Materially Kiwi Innovations, formerly KiwiLeather Innovations.
External Validation
Recognition & Momentum
- Research and development collaboration with Scion
- Supported by BPA, AGMARDT and Callaghan Innovation
- Nominated for the Earthshot Prize 2026
- Selected for Aurora Climate Lab 2026 and Agritech ClimAccelerator Singapore 2025
- Featured by Seven Sharp, 1 News, Country-Wide, Farm Show and Fieldays
Materially Kiwi featured on Seven Sharp, 12 June 2026.
Mission
Turning Side Streams into Lasting Value
Materially Kiwi exists to create more value from resources already available. Beginning with New Zealand kiwifruit side streams, we are developing high-value material inputs and finished biomaterials through science-led, circular design.
Our ambition is to build scalable pathways that connect growers, science, manufacturing and global brands, creating new value for New Zealand while helping industries move towards more responsible material choices.
Discover Our Story
2. Develop
Refining those components into consistent inputs for biomaterial development
3. Apply
Using the refined inputs across multiple potential material pathways
Our Platform
From One Side Stream to Multiple Material Pathways
The goal is to create more consistent inputs for material development while unlocking greater value from the original resource.
Explore PlatformSectors
Where Our Materials Could Go
Beginning with contemporary and premium fashion, Materially Kiwi is developing material pathways for applications where appearance, performance and traceability matter.
Concept visual
01
Fashion & Accessories
Current development focus
Our first focus is contemporary and premium fashion, including bags, accessories and crafted products. We are developing coated-sheet materials with distinctive aesthetics and the handling needed by designers and makers.
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Concept visual
02
Furniture & Interiors
Future development pathway
As formulation and testing progress, the platform may extend into furniture, upholstery and crafted interior applications, subject to application-specific durability and performance validation.
Concept visual
03
Automotive & Marine
Longer-term pathway
Automotive and marine interiors represent a longer-term opportunity, subject to scalable production, commercial economics and demanding safety, durability, fire and environmental testing.
Material Development
Material Development in Motion
How a material bends, handles and responds matters as much as how it looks. Materially Kiwi is refining the structure, flexibility and surface finish of its kiwifruit-based coated-sheet material through iterative formulation, backing and performance development.
Each development round moves us closer to consistent, larger-format samples for evaluation by brands, designers and manufacturing partners.
Follow our progressDevelopment Priorities
What We Are Building
Careful development language keeps the website aligned with the stage of the material and the evidence available today.
- 01
Side Streams to Value
Developing higher-value uses for New Zealand kiwifruit side streams by recovering and refining useful components into more consistent material inputs.
- 02
Responsible Chemistry
Our formulation strategy prioritises bio-based ingredients and non-toxic pigments while working to reduce or replace fossil-derived and potentially hazardous components.
- 03
Performance and Design
Refining coated-sheet materials for flexibility, strength, surface quality and practical use, with application-specific testing as development advances.
- 04
Traceability by Design
Building traceability from feedstock and processing through to material batches, with independent verification planned as the platform progresses.
- 05
Pathway to Scale
Connecting front-end processing, repeatable formulations and pilot-scale manufacturing as the foundation for future commercial production.
Development Samples
A Material Taking Shape
These photographs show genuine Materially Kiwi samples created during formulation, backing, coating and colour development. Each captures part of our R&D journey as the material continues to be refined.
Ruby Red
Backed and coated development sample.
Kiwi Green
Backed and coated development sample.
Ebony Black
Backed and coated development sample.
Material Study
A selection of genuine colour and surface development samples.
Development samples shown. Formulations, finishes and performance characteristics continue to evolve.
Work With Us
Help Shape the Next Material Pathway
We welcome conversations with brands, research partners, manufacturers, investors and organisations interested in responsible material development.
Start a Conversation