OUT OF THE LAB LAUREATE
Melwear
Microbial Melanin for next-gen UV protection
UV exposure causes 3M+ skin cancer cases yearly, shorten product lifespans by 50%, costing billions in damage.
Melwear develops a UV-protective biomaterial platform using microbial melanin for adaptive, biodegradable sun protection in textiles, skincare, and coatings.
Melwear leverages on microbial melanin, a natural, biodegradable pigment with UV-absorbing and antioxidant properties.
Melwear directly emulates how human skin increases melanin production in response to UV exposure to shield DNA. The membrane mimics this process: when sunlight hits, the bacterial melanin embedded within activates and darkens.
Melwear introduces a biomimetic, biocompatible alternative to toxic, petrochemical-based dyes.
Founder: Maca Barrera / University of the Arts, London