Circ’s Luke Henning to lead plush-material startup BioFluff

BioFluff, which makes plant-based “fur” for jackets and stuffed animals, named as interim CEO Luke Henning, chairman of the company’s board since 2023. He comes from Circ, a textile-to-textile recycler making headway among apparel brands.

Henning joins BioFluff, headquartered in Paris and New York City, as it pursues $2.5 million in pre-Series A funding. The small, 3-year-old company has grand ambitions to displace traditional, high-carbon materials for apparel and toys with alternatives made with hemp, nettles and flax.

“Their mission of no animals, no oil, no compromise, I find inspiring,” Henning told Trellis. “BioFluff has the potential to not only reduce the demand for specially farmed fur animals but also the amount of oil we use for fur alternatives.”

BioFluff has raised over $3 million, last in 2023 with a seed round of $2.5 million led by Brussels-based B Corporation Astanor Ventures.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in the journey to revolutionize the textile industry in fashion, interior and toys,” wrote BioFluff Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Roni Gamzon on LinkedIn on Oct. 17.

From polycotton to ‘comfort materials’

With Henning as chief business officer of Circ for a dozen years, the Danville, Virginia, company built up partnerships including with H&M, Zara and Birla Cellulose, drawn in part for Circ’s capability to recycle polyester as well as wood- or plant-based materials. As Henning led collaborations with brands and other partners, Circ in January kicked off the Fiber Club partnership with Fashion for Good and Canopy to advance circular materials. Eileen Fisher, Everlane, Bestseller and Arvind are also involved.

“My experience in scaling sustainable hard tech, focused on sustainable textiles, translates well to this next stage of growth at BioFluff,” said Henning. “My network includes many of the parties that BioFluff is already connected to and some beyond.”

Henning succeeds CEO Martin Stübler, a BioFluff co-founder who left in August for an undisclosed startup.

“Luke Henning has gained the admiration of clients, investors and supply chain in his previous roles,” said Paul Foulkes-Arellano, founder of Circuthon Consulting in London and an original investor in BioFluff. “He knows exactly how to charm investors, build supply chain contracts and bring the world’s biggest brands on board.”

A plush market

BioFluff is among the early players seeking to scale sustainable “comfort materials,” which it sources and makes in Europe without toxic chemicals or genetic modifications.

The company’s Savian “fur” has appeared in a handbag by Ganni of Denmark and a fuzzy coat by Stella McCartney. The $543 billion market for non-animal fur will rise to $1,831 billion by 2032, according to Maximize Market Research.

BioFluff’s BioPlush material would enter a stuffed toys market set to expand from $11.8 billion in 2023 to $20 billion in 2030, according to Grand View Research. The company is also eyeing the home interiors market.

Dual master’s degrees

For eight years, Henning was a senior manager at KPMG Financial Risk Management in Cape Town.

While finishing an MBA at the University of Oxford, he helped to found a seed fund for student and alumni startups. Henning also holds a master’s in financial management from the University of Cape Town, after completing his undergraduate work at the University of Pretoria.

“While I never say never, my focus is closing the funding and seeking the best candidate for the role of full time CEO,” Henning said.