Just what we were missing—Jurassic Bags. The T-Rex may soon be resurrected in the most unlikely form: that of luxury handbags. Thanks to a collaboration between VML, The Organoid Company (a leader in genomic engineering), and Lab-Grown Leather, bioengineered leather from the ancient king of the Cretaceous period could soon enter production. Could it work? From a marketing perspective, absolutely. But does it really make sense to disturb a dinosaur extinct for 66 million years? And more importantly, do we truly need alternatives to leather?
Jurassic Bags
The risk, then, is turning the iconic T-Rex into nothing more than a handbag. According to VML, the leather would be derived from fossilised T-Rex collagen. “The production process involves engineering cells with synthetic DNA—designed by The Organoid Company—which is then integrated into Lab-Grown Leather’s product stream”. This method would allow the cells to build their own natural structure, resulting in a material that is structurally identical to traditional leather. In other words, it’s a copy of leather. The three companies aim to (partially) resurrect the theropod, peppering their press release with “cruelty-free” claims that serve only marketing purposes—claims that already ring hollow when applied to bovine leather, let alone a dinosaur.
Imitating leather
VML goes further, insisting that the “T-Rex leather” is a high-performance, cell-grown material that goes beyond imitation (so why call it leather at all?) and offers natural durability, repairability, and the tactile feel expected from high-end leather goods. Which, ironically, are precisely the qualities of actual leather. Initial applications are expected to focus on accessories, with the goal of launching a luxury fashion item by the end of 2025. It’s an ambitious project, especially given that most such alternatives are costly and difficult to industrialise. All things considered, though, there’s already a clear answer: leather remains the only truly circular, upcycled, sustainable material that fits the demands of the luxury industry. Wouldn’t it be better to let the T-Rex rest in peace—and keep our feet (and our genuine leather bags) firmly on the ground?
Image generated with AI support
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