The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) is recognised as a European centre of excellence for the introduction of new IB processes and products to the global markets. They have marked a major milestone this year with the welcoming of their 400th member, Fevvers. Fevvers is a pioneering materials innovation company working on creating a cruelty-free alternative to feathers.
This achievement highlights not only the rapid expansion of Scotland’s bioeconomy but also underscores IBiolC’s position as a leading hub for sustainable innovation. In the last year alone, they have welcomed 100 new members to their organisation. A key driver of Scotland’s National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology, IBioIC facilitates collaboration, provides scale-up capabilities, creates networks and develops skills and training provisions. Over 70% of their partners are micro companies, and to date, they have provided support for more than 260 companies over a range of collaborative and innovative projects, fostering academic-business partnerships.
Fevvers has already made an impact in the fashion industry. Founded in 2025 by Nicola Woollon and James West, within months of launching their plant-based feather alternative, they showcased their product on the Stella McCartney catwalk at Paris Fashion Week and won ‘Best Luxury Moment’ at PETA’s 2025 Vegan Fashion Awards.
With awareness around the cruelty of traditional feather use growing, fashion houses are increasingly looking for sustainable, vegan alternatives that retain the glamour and texture of natural feathers. The problem for many early-stage biotechnology companies lies not in innovation, however, but in scaling production to meet market demand. By joining IBioIC, Fevvers has gained access to Scotland’s scientists and innovation infrastructure, enabling the founders to strengthen their product and engage confidently with high-fashion brands.
James West, Co-Founder of Fevvers, said: “The connections we received from IBioIC were priceless. Nicola and I don’t come from scientific backgrounds, so it can be hard to explain exactly what we need. We almost did things backwards – launching a brand-new product at Paris Fashion Week before figuring out how to bring it to the mainstream. IBioIC helped us understand our needs and broker relationships with leading scientists, providing us with a level of expertise that we would otherwise have been unable to reach.”
Fevvers is now focusing on refining its product, scaling production, and raising investment to bring its cruelty-free feathers to a wider market.
Since IBioIC’s launch in 2014, it has played a pivotal role in Scotland’s industrial biotechnology sector. Such as helping to leverage £35 million in additional funding for research and development. Its diverse membership includes major organisations such as Diageo, Unilever and Scottish Water, alongside smaller and innovative start-ups such as Fevvers. They will also host their 12th Annual Conference at Glasgow’s Technology and Innovation Centre on 10–11 March 2026, which will bring over 400 biobased industry professionals, researchers and policymakers.
Dr Liz Fletcher, Director of Impact and Deputy CEO at IBioIC, commented: “Reaching 400 members is a fantastic milestone for IBioIC and is a clear reflection of the growing strength of Scotland’s industrial biotechnology sector and our national reach. What makes this achievement even more significant is the pace of growth we’ve seen over the last nine months, with new companies joining the network from a wide range of different industries. Each addition expands the diversity of expertise and opportunities we can offer, whether this is partnering on collaborative projects, offering scale-up support, entrepreneurial training or investor engagement. Ultimately, the ongoing momentum of our membership proves that industrial biotechnology is a growth opportunity for Scotland’s innovation economy.”
Examining how we can move past cruel products with new technologies is crucial for a truly sustainable and ethical world. Fevvers has shown that through design, innovation and collaboration, it is possible to create products acceptable to consumers and producers both.
