Natural Fiber Welding, Inc.
Peoria, US · Founded 2015 · Delaware corporation · 142 employees on LinkedIn · 11 known investors
NFW (Natural Fiber Welding) develops plant-based, plastic-free materials including a leather alternative (MIRUM), engineered textiles (CLARUS), footwear outsoles (PLIANT), and biobased foam (TUNERA) for use by fashion, footwear, and consumer brands. The company partners with brands such as BMW, Patagonia, Allbirds, and Stella McCartney to make lower-carbon, circular products.
Also known as NFW
Founders & leadership
Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. was founded in 2015 by Luke Haverhals.
Investors · 11
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$176M disclosed across 8 rounds · 2020–2025
▶$7MraisedJan 2026 · 2 investors · ManufacturingRule 506(b)
- Robert SalterExecutive Officer
- Steve ZikaExecutive Officer, Director
- Kerry BylerDirector
- Rajan PalaniswamyDirector
- Suhas UppalapatiDirector
- Offering amount
- $7M
- Amount sold
- $7M
- First sale
- Dec 2025
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$23.6MraisedDec 2024 · 47 investors · ManufacturingRule 506(b)
- Luke HaverhalsDirector
- Jason BernsDirector
- Suhas NarayanaswamyDirector
- Robert SalterExecutive Officer
- Gregg SmithDirector
- Shally ShankerDirector
- Steve ZikaExecutive Officer, Director
- Christine GoulayDirector
- Anthony TraymoreExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $25M
- Amount sold
- $23.6M
- Minimum investment
- $1.6K
- First sale
- Dec 2024
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$23.7MraisedApr 2024 · 61 investors · ManufacturingRule 506(b)
- Christine GoulayDirector
- Suhas NarayanaswamyDirector
- Luke HaverhalsExecutive Officer, Director
- Anthony TraymoreExecutive Officer
- Jason BernsDirector
- Steve ZikaExecutive Officer, Director
- Gregg SmithDirector
- Shally ShankerDirector
- Robert SalterExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $30M
- Amount sold
- $23.7M
- Minimum investment
- $2.3K
- First sale
- Mar 2024
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$24.8MraisedAug 2023 · 17 investors · ManufacturingRule 506(b)
- Anthony TraymoreExecutive Officer
- Shally ShankerDirector
- Christine GoulayDirector
- Steve ZikaExecutive Officer, Director
- Robert SalterExecutive Officer
- Luke HaverhalsExecutive Officer, Director
- Gregg SmithDirector
- Jason BernsDirector
- Offering amount
- $30M
- Amount sold
- $24.8M
- Minimum investment
- $30K
- First sale
- Jun 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$20MraisedDec 2022 · 15 investors · ManufacturingRule 506(b)
- Anthony TraymoreExecutive Officer
- Gregg SmithDirector
- Jason BernsDirector
- Ken ZikaDirector
- Steve ZikaExecutive Officer
- Shanker ShallyDirector
- Laura MaydonDirector
- Robert SalterExecutive Officer
- Luke HaverhalsExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $30M
- Amount sold
- $20M
- Minimum investment
- $75K
- First sale
- Oct 2022
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$63.6MraisedApr 2022 · 26 investors · ManufacturingRule 506(b)
- Luke HaverhalsExecutive Officer
- Laura MaydonDirector
- Steve ZikaExecutive Officer
- Ken ZikaDirector
- Gregg SmithDirector
- Jason BernsDirector
- Anthony TraymoreExecutive Officer
- Rob GoldmanExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $65.2M
- Amount sold
- $63.6M
- Minimum investment
- $25K
- First sale
- Mar 2022
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$5MraisedMay 2021 · 1 investors · ManufacturingRule 506(b)
- Robert E. TurnerDirector
- Rob GoldmanExecutive Officer
- Chad StamperExecutive Officer
- Luke HaverhalsExecutive Officer, Director
- Ken ZikaDirector
- Steve ZikaExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $5M
- Amount sold
- $5M
- Minimum investment
- $5M
- First sale
- May 2021
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$8.4MraisedJul 2020 · 20 investors · ManufacturingRule 506(b)
- Rob GoldmanExecutive Officer
- Steve ZikaExecutive Officer
- Robert E. TurnerDirector
- Chad StamperExecutive Officer
- Luke HaverhalsExecutive Officer, Director
- Ken ZikaDirector
- Offering amount
- $13M
- Amount sold
- $8.4M
- Minimum investment
- $200K
- First sale
- Jul 2020
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. (NFW) develops plastic-free performance materials intended to replace petroleum-based inputs in consumer goods. Its product line comprises MIRUM, a plant-based, plastic-free alternative to leather; CLARUS, precision-engineered and tunable textiles; PLIANT, footwear outsoles made without plastic; and TUNERA, described by the company as a first-in-kind 100% biobased foam.
The company positions these materials for use in creative collaborations with consumer brands, and publishes a set of material principles it calls "The Ground Rules." NFW also sells or promotes co-developed products directly, including a Runner K21 shoe featuring MIRUM.
Business model
NFW supplies engineered plant-based materials to consumer brands, which incorporate them into finished products; the company also highlights collaboration-based product launches sold to end consumers.
Traction
NFW lists collaborations with more than two dozen consumer brands and has been recognized by the Earthshot Prize and Fast Company.
Latest developments
NFW was named a finalist for the 2024 Earthshot Prize, an award program launched in 2020 to identify and scale solutions to environmental challenges by 2030.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market
Market position
The company has received external recognition in sustainable materials innovation, including selection as one of fifteen finalists for the 2024 Earthshot Prize out of nearly 2,500 nominees from 139 countries, and two consecutive appearances on Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies list (Style, March 2022; Energy & Sustainability, March 2023).
NFW emphasizes materials made entirely without plastic or petrochemical inputs across multiple product categories, rather than a single leather substitute.
Technology
NFW's materials portfolio spans a plant-based, plastic-free leather alternative (MIRUM), tunable precision-engineered textiles (CLARUS), plastic-free footwear outsoles (PLIANT) and a fully biobased foam (TUNERA). Its chemists Luke Haverhals and Aaron Amstutz were named 2022 Inventors of the Year by IPOEF.
Go-to-market
Growth is driven by co-development partnerships with established consumer brands that adopt NFW materials in their products, supported by direct-to-consumer promotion of collaboration items.
Fashion, footwear, accessories, watch and automotive brands, including collaborations listed with BMW, Reformation, H&M, Patagonia, Pangaia, New Balance, Allbirds, Camper, Chaco, Richemont, IWC, Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Vivobarefoot, Deckers, Bellroy, Anita Dongre, Unless Collective and others.
Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 4
launches, deals, and filingsNFW was selected as one of fifteen finalists for the 2024 Earthshot Prize from nearly 2,500 nominees across 139 countries.
Listed by Fast Company among the world's most innovative companies in the Energy & Sustainability category.
Listed by Fast Company among the world's most innovative companies in the Style category.
IPOEF named NFW chemists Luke Haverhals and Aaron Amstutz 2022 Inventors of the Year.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
Legal entities · 1
corporate structureIn the news
▸Research sources · 1
primary sources listed
- Natural Fiber Welding, Inc.nfw.earth · web
1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. do?
- NFW makes plastic-free, plant-based performance materials including MIRUM leather alternative, CLARUS textiles, PLIANT outsoles and TUNERA foam.
- Who founded Natural Fiber Welding, Inc.?
- Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. was founded by Luke Haverhals in 2015.
- Who are Natural Fiber Welding, Inc.'s investors?
- Natural Fiber Welding, Inc.'s investors include Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, Ethos VC, Scrum Ventures, AiiM Partners, Ascendo Ventures, BMW i Ventures, Collaborative Fund, Evolution VC Partners and 3 more.
- How much funding has Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. raised?
- Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. has disclosed $176M raised across 8 rounds.
- Where is Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. headquartered?
- Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. is headquartered in Peoria, US.