On May 5, 2021, researchers at Tufts University School of Engineering announced they had developed an alternative to leather, with similar texture, flexibility and stiffness, yet focused on materials that are sustainable, non-toxic, and friendly to the environment.

The Tufts engineers were able to break down the fibers from silkworm cocoons into their protein components, and re-purpose the proteins to form the leather-like material. The process for making silk-based leather was described in a study published in the journal Materials & Design.