Melina Bucher launches first completely bio-based, plastic-free bag

When FashionUnited spoke to Melina Bucher, founder of the eponymous label and Germany's first vegan bag manufacturer, in March this year, a novelty was already on the horizon: a 100 percent bio-based product. Now, with the new “Dreamer” bag, a dream has actually come true.

After years of development and collaboration with material innovators from all over the world, Melina Bucher has launched the first completely vegan and bio-based handbag: from the outer material to the filling, reinforcements and threads, the components of the handbag have been rethought in harmony with nature and completely dispensed with plastic.

“The last years, there was a tremendous debate about what is better – animal leather or synthetic alternatives. What no one wants to talk about: whether you prefer an animal leather or vegan product, all bags use various plastic-based components like reinforcements, threads, foams or fillings. These components make it impossible for leather goods to be recycled –a 500 billion US dollar industry creating products that can only go to waste,” commented Bucher in a press release.

In 2022, the company was the first to launch a handle bag made with bio-based material Mirum produced by Natural Fiber Welding. “Mirum utilises innovative technology that unlocks the potential of natural, FSC-certified rubber and uses natural colorants, such as naturally-derived charcoal, to completely avoid plastics or synthetic dyes. This material has a significant positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions – with initial test results promising a 90 percent reduction in emissions compared to animal leather – as well as water scarcity and biodiversity, as it requires neither tanning nor water during manufacturing and dyeing,” states the label.

What is the “Dreamer” bag made of?

The “Dreamer” bag is the result of 5 years of this collaborative work: It uses BioPuff Original, a next-generation insulation made by Ponda, as filling material. Unlike conventional fillers like feathers and polyester, BioPuff Original is made by extracting fibres from the Typha plant, thereby regenerating precious wetland ecosystems, sequestering carbon and enhancing biodiversity.

The bag’s reinforcements are made of a non-woven material based on hemp residues from hemp fields in Germany by Revoltech, as well as pure mycelium Forager oam from Ecovative. Forager mycelium foam is grown in solar-powered vertical farms and ready to harvest in just nine days.

“This high-performing foam requires minimal energy and water and is fully circular, returning nutrients to the earth instead of pollutants at the end of its life,” explains Melina Bucher.

“Dreamer” is meticulously designed and handcrafted in Melina Bucher’s own atelier in Germany and can be pre-ordered now via the website. The price is around 700 euros and the bag is due to be delivered from mid-September.