Substanz at World Design Capital 2026: Designing with LOVR™
Frankfurt RheinMain
In 2026, Frankfurt RheinMain became the first region in Germany to hold the title of World Design Capital, bringing together design, industry, research and creative practice around the question of how design can contribute to a better future.
As part of the programme, Substanz contributed prototypes developed with LOVR™, the plant-based leather alternative developed by German materials company Revoltech.
The prototypes demonstrate how next-generation biomaterials can move beyond material samples and become tangible products through thoughtful design, prototyping and manufacturing.
World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026
The World Design Capital programme positions design as more than aesthetics — it explores design as a tool for innovation, transformation and positive change across society, industry and everyday life.
The Revoltech and Hessen Design presentation in Darmstadt reflected this approach by bringing together material innovation, design and real-world applications, showing LOVR™ through prototypes, material samples and design studies.
For Substanz, participating with LOVR™ prototypes was an opportunity to demonstrate a simple principle:
New materials become meaningful when designers can experience what they can actually become.
From biomaterial to product
LOVR™ is a plastic-free, plant-based leather alternative made from hemp fibres. Revoltech presented the material at Hessen Design in Darmstadt during WDC Open – Design Week, showcasing its development, properties and potential applications through material samples, prototypes and design studies.
For Substanz, the project was an opportunity to explore what the material can do in an actual product context.
Rather than treating a new material simply as a substitute for conventional leather, we approach biomaterials and sustainable materials through design and application: How does the material behave? What products is it suited to? How can its specific characteristics become part of the design?
For LOVR™, Substanz developed a series of accessory prototypes that translate the material into practical, visual applications.
Designing with new materials
Working with emerging materials requires a different approach to product development.
Texture, flexibility, thickness, construction methods, edge finishing and durability all influence how a material can be used. A material that performs well in one application may require a completely different construction approach in another.
This is where material selection, design development and prototyping become essential.
At Substanz, we work with brands, designers and material companies to bridge this gap — from selecting a material for a specific application to developing prototypes and moving towards production.
The LOVR™ project is an example of this process: taking a plant-based leather alternative from material development into a series of tangible design prototypes.
Making biomaterials accessible through design
The development of new bio-based materials and leather alternatives is creating new possibilities for fashion, accessories and other product categories. But the material itself is only one part of the equation.
For new materials to reach the market, designers and brands need to understand how they can actually be designed, processed and manufactured.
This is the role Substanz aims to play: making next-generation materials understandable, accessible and applicable.
Our work combines material sourcing, material selection, product development, prototyping and manufacturing to help turn emerging materials into real products.
