Tocco Report: Animal Origin 2.0

Animal Matter in the Age of Biodesign & Biomanufacturing

Animal-derived materials remain deeply embedded in global design vocabularies, from the supple tactility of leather to the sheen of silk and the structural warmth of wool. Yet the conventional means of producing these materials are increasingly difficult to reconcile with current ecological data and cultural expectations. Intensive livestock farming, water-intensive tanning, and the routine disposal of byproducts have placed traditional animal materials under scrutiny. What has emerged instead is not a total rejection, but a reevaluation: a new material category that retains the physical and symbolic properties of animal matter while seeking to reform its origin, process, or impact.

This report by the Tocco team explores this evolving category: Animal Origin 2.0, through a methodical, design-oriented lens. We highlight developments from the lab to the atelier: fermentation-based proteins, cell-cultured hides, and waste-stream transformations that aim to reframe animal inputs without nostalgia or exaggeration. Each case study is selected for its scientific integrity, industrial relevance, and practical design implications. Through comparative assessments and contextual analysis, the report offers a grounded survey of how animal matter is being rethought, and to what end, in the age of biodesign.