Where Artistry and
Innovation Converge
About Us
GROW the Studio is the go-to destination for brands, innovators, and companies looking to merge sustainable materials with exquisite craftsmanship. As a pioneering studio specializing in vegan accessories and bio-based materials, we collaborate with international partners to turn ideas into reality.
Our Expertise
At GROW the Studio, we specialize in biobased materials and high-quality craftsmanship. From custom development and prototyping to small-scale production, we deliver precision and innovation. Our consulting and material testing services support brands and innovators in realizing their vision with cutting-edge, eco-friendly solutions.
EXHIBITIONS
GROW – the future of leather goods is the exhibition for everyone interested in biobased material innovations. We showcase vegan leather alternatives from the most innovative biotech companies – ranging from technologies made with fungi, bacterial nanocellulose to algae and plant residues.
The GROW Process
Discover & Evaluate
We begin every collaboration with a deep dive into your vision and brand values. Whether you bring a bold idea or a new innovation, we assess feasibility, performance, and design potential.
Design & Prototype
From creative direction to technical specs — we translate your concept into a tangible product. Our studio develops detailed designs, material pairings, and prototypes with signature craftsmanship.
Test & Refine
We test for aesthetics, durability, and usability using a rigorous, studio-developed method tailored for next-gen materials. Together, we fine-tune every detail until it’s just right.
Produce & Present
From exclusive samples to small-series production, we create high-end goods with full control from start to finish. Expect precision, reliability, and a product that tells a sustainable story.
Who we work
with
From early-stage material innovators and emerging fashion brands to luxury hospitality, our collaborators are as diverse as the materials we work with. Whether you're developing a pioneering biomaterial, launching a conscious fashion label, or searching for refined, sustainable objects for your hotel or brand environment - we offer hands-on expertise and tailored solutions. GROW the Studio operates at the intersection of craftsmanship and innovation, supporting visionaries across industries to bring thoughtful products to life. What unites our partners is a shared belief in aesthetics, ethics, and the transformative power of design.
Please note that we do not work with animal-derived materials in our studio and do not sell our designs to brands that want to produce them in animal-based materials.
Fashion Brands
You’re building a fashion, accessory, or lifestyle brand and want to create exceptional, sustainable products? We help you realize entire collections — from sketch to shelf. For leather goods, our in-house specialists in sustainability, sourcing, design and team of expert craftsmen work together to bring your vision to life. As we do the complete product development process in-house, we offer exceptional fast development times and cross-functional expertise. For larger productions and other fashion categories, we work with our network of manufacturers to meet your specific needs.
Material Innovators
You’re developing next-gen biomaterials — and need professional testing outside your lab in a real-life application? With our extensive knowledge in the field, we test, validate, and transform your innovation into a product ready to be adopted.
Corporates & Hospitality
You’re seeking meaningful, high-quality gifts for your clients or employees, sustainable interior accessories, or distinctive brand touchpoints. We create custom-designed pieces that align with your brand values — elegant, functional, and crafted from innovative, plastic-free materials.
Private Clients
You're looking for a one-of-a-kind piece — a bag, a gift, an heirloom. Our studio occasionally accepts bespoke commissions from individuals who value craft, material consciousness, and story.
Packaging
We create exceptional packaging. Whether you seek a new packaging design for your products, or need a special design for events or gifts, our designers and product development team work together to create packaging that sells. Of course, we also take into account sustainability in your packaging choices and have partners that can deliver fully vegan and locally made packaging solutions.
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Meet the Founder
Melina Bucher – Founder MELINA BUCHER and GROW The Studio
Melina founded the luxury vegan handbag label MELINA BUCHER in 2018 during her master’s studies in business administration – and quickly discovered the limitations of traditional suppliers of leather goods.
GROW The Studio was born from the roadblocks Melina experienced firsthand. Over the years, she had gathered a deep understanding of sustainable design, next-gen materials, and circular development – and built GROW to share that knowledge openly with likeminded founders to create future-facing products.
Our team is a mix of skilled, experienced project managers, designers, tailors, graphic designers, and bag makers, enabling our studio to offer end-to-end projects from initial collection drafts to final products. All our team members are forward-thinking individuals, eager to create solutions where sustainable innovation and traditional craft go hand-in-hand.
2022 /PETA Vegan Fashion Award
PETA Germany celebrated our 'Bailey' design as 'Most Innovative Piece' for proving that true luxury can be entirely animal-free, without sacrificing design or functionality.
2023 /German Sustainability Award
The jury of the German Sustainability Award, one of Europe's most prestigious awards for sustainable product design, honored our 'Bailey' design for its innovative use of MIRUM®.
2024 /PETA UK Fashion Awards
PETA UK awarded us the 'Progress Award' for opening an atelier where artisans will work only with high-end, animal-free, next-generation materials.
2025 /German Design Award
For being the world's first vegan handbag made from 100% bio-based and plastic-free materials, our 'Dreamer' design was awarded the German Design Award for 'Excellent Product Design'.
Recognition & Awards
PETA Vegan Fashion Award
2022 // PETA Germany celebrated our 'Bailey' design as 'Most Innovative Piece' for proving that true luxury can be entirely animal-free, without sacrificing design or functionality.
German Sustainability Award
2023 // The jury of the German Sustainability Award, one of Europe's most prestigious awards for sustainable product design, honored our 'Bailey' design for its innovative use of MIRUM®.
PETA UK Fashion Awards
2024 // PETA UK awarded us the 'Progress Award' for opening an atelier where artisans will work only with high-end, animal-free, next-generation materials.
German Design Award
2025 // For being the world's first vegan handbag made from 100% bio-based and plastic-free materials, our 'Dreamer' design was awarded the German Design Award for 'Excellent Product Design'.