“In fact, however, many designers are trying to develop alternatives to our consumer-oriented, destructive society and are focusing on very concrete and fundamental things. New material developments often follow a research approach that is not at first geared towards a product. The process often begins with small experiments, which can then grow into revolutionary solutions. The New York based company Modern Meadow, for example, is developing an alternative to leather. The material zoa is grown from cells in the laboratory and is composed in a similar way to leather, which is obtained from tanned skin…”