McCartney and Imperial start-up put sustainable fashion on Paris catwalk

The plant-based sequins by Sequinova are metal-free, mineral-free and non-toxic.

Luxury fashion brand Stella McCartney has teamed up with Imperial-backed start-up Sequinova to bring plant-based sequins to market.

Sequinova, a member of The Greenhouse, a leading climate innovation accelerator run by Undaunted at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment, unveiled its revolutionary plant-based sequins during McCartney’s Autumn/Winter 2025 runway show during Paris Fashion Week.

The two hand-embroidered mini dresses debuted at the show will be commercially available later this year, marking the first time that customers will be able to purchase bio-based sequin garments.

The fashion industry is responsible for 35% of the world’s microplastics and the global sequin market, valued at almost $17 billion and expected to nearly double over the next decade, is a major contributor to microplastic pollution.

Sequinova’s sequins are derived from sustainably sourced wood and utilise a green chemical process, providing a much-needed solution to this pressing global environmental and health issue.

The plant-based sequins are metal-free, mineral-free and non-toxic. Sequinova is also working with leading marine biologists from the Univesity of Exeter to prove that the microfibres shed in washing biodegrade with no toxic residue that could harm marine life.

Clare Lichfield, Co-Founder of Sequinova, said:

“Our partnership [with Stella McCartney] makes commercial plant-based sequin garments a reality and marks the beginning of a revolution in the replacement of petroleum-derived plastic sequins, which cause such destruction to our environment.”

A runner-up at the Manufacturing Futures competition, Sequinova has also been shortlisted for the H&M Global Change Award alongside two other Undaunted start-ups, PulpaTronics and Tera Mira. 

The start-up is also developing a wider colour palette to compete with current fossil-fuel derived colourants by combining plant-based ingredients with bioengineered microorganism pigments.

Alyssa Gilbert, Director of Undaunted and Innovation at the Grantham Institute, said:

"It is exciting to see the speed with which Sequinova has got traction in the commercial market. It is our focus to work with founders like Claire to bring their science-based green technologies to the market and especially satisfying when they can have such broad appeal."

Find out more about The Greenhouse, which is currently open for applicants, and how it supports climate start-ups.