Italian biotech company SQIM has launched Ephea Uma, a mycelium-based material now appearing in a global luxury accessories collection. The material previously entered the luxury market via a one-off coat produced for Balenciaga’s Autumn/Winter 2022 collection.
“We are not limiting excellence — we are expanding it”
Ephea is both the brand name and the name of the material itself. Grown rather than manufactured, it is derived from mycelium, the root-like vegetative structure of fungi, through what the company describes as low-impact biotechnology. SQIM positions it as an entirely new material category rather than an alternative to leather or any existing material.
Moving into accessories
SQIM describes the launch as the first time a bio-fabricated mycelium material has entered a global luxury accessories collection, though the company has not disclosed which brand or brands are involved, nor the scale of the rollout.
Stefano Babbini, Founder and CEO of SQIM, said: “Ephea Uma marks a defining moment for next-generation materials. For the first time, innovation is no longer future tense — it is present.”
Bio-fabrication and the luxury sector
The mycelium materials sector has attracted considerable industry interest in recent years, though commercialization at scale has proved difficult. MycoWorks, which has worked with Hermès on mycelium-based products, opened a large production facility in South Carolina in 2023. Ecovative has pursued mushroom-based materials across packaging and fashion applications, with partnerships including Ecco Leather.
SQIM, founded in 2015 and based in Inarzo, near Varese, raised €11 million in a Series A round in early 2024, backed by Kering Ventures, CDP Venture Capital, and the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund. The company operates two material brands: Ephea, targeting fashion and accessories, and Mogu, focused on interior design and architecture.
Maurizio Montalti, Founder and CMO of SQIM, said: “Aesthetics, ethics, and performance converge into a new paradigm. We are not limiting excellence — we are expanding it, creating materials that inspire, elevate, and respect both people and planet.”
