In a bid to build a sustainable and ethical future for the luxury materials industry, three companies have joined forces to create the world’s first T-Rex leather handbag.

Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years, but thanks to cutting-edge technology and genetic research, humankind has apparently become able to use T-Rex DNA to create synthetic, lab-grown dinosaur leather. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Creative agency VML has joined forces with genomic engineering startup The Organoid Company and biotechnology innovators Lab-Grown Leather Ltd. to produce a high-quality alternative to traditional leather that is both cruelty-free and sustainable. Using a protein found in a Tyrannosaurus fossil from about 80 million years ago as inspiration, The Organoid Company and Lab-Grown Leather have been able to synthesize a next-generation material that features the durability and repairability of T-Rex skin.