tomorrow starts today
About Substanz
Substanz is a consulting, education, and material sourcing company specializing in next-generation, low-impact materials for the fashion industry.
Drawing on extensive industry expertise and a global network of material innovators, Substanz supports brands across material research, sourcing, product development, manufacturing, and supply chain strategy. We work closely with both established fashion houses and emerging designers to identify commercially viable alternatives that reduce environmental impact without compromising performance or aesthetics.
To make innovative materials more accessible, along consulting, Substanz is developing a dedicated European e-commerce platform that enables brands, designers, artisans, and retail customers to purchase next-generation materials with no minimum order quantities. By warehousing materials within the European Union, we eliminate the complexity of international customs clearance, making it significantly easier for smaller brands to prototype, develop collections, and manufacture with innovative materials.
Substanz also collaborates with leading educational institutions and industry organizations, delivering lectures, workshops, exhibitions, and educational programmes dedicated to material innovation and the bioeconomy.
Our mission is to connect clients with the latest advances in material science while helping pioneering R&D companies translate breakthrough innovations into commercially successful materials, products, prototypes, and exhibition-ready applications.
Our Principles
Everything we do is guided by five core principles:
Resource Efficiency – We encourage the use of renewable and circular resources.
Responsible End-of-Life – We promote materials designed to biodegrade naturally or be recycled whenever possible.
Safe Chemistry – We support materials made with non-toxic chemistry.
Material Transparency – We value traceable supply chains and transparent material information.
Innovation with Purpose – We prioritise evidence-based material selection and openly communicate both the strengths and limitations of every material for its intended application.
Why Substanz
The name says it all: we focus on the substance behind designs and materials.
We believe innovation should be measured not only by what a material (or design) is made from, but also by how it performs, how it is produced, and what happens to it at the end of its life.
Through our international network of material innovators, manufacturers, researchers, and fashion partners, we bridge the gap between scientific innovation and commercial application.
Substanz — Connecting Material Innovation with Commercial Reality.