What does:
made with the DNA of a T-Rex
mean?
The last tyrannosaurus rex died 66 million years ago. DNA doesn't last that long.
I've just looked it up. The actual story is much more sensible and the sensational price was invented by the USA Today newspaper not the auctioneers or maker.
There is no actual T-Rex DNA involved. What they did was find a fragment of collagen that probably belongs to a T-Rex and then used AI to model the proteins in it. They then worked backwards to create genes for those proteins which they then inserted in some organism to make the leather.
The reasoning is that such leather actually
is leather unlike mushroom 'leather' which has to be coated in plastic to make it work.
Beyond its status as a collector's item, the technology also means leather can be produced without the accompanying environmental concerns linked to the livestock industry, said Connon. Traditional leather production is often criticized for its connection to deforestation and heavy chemical use during tanning.
The material is fully traceable and compatible with commonly-used methods to finish leather. This lab-grown alternative eliminates the need for animal slaughter while providing a material that is both biodegradable and repairable. Developers are now looking at how they can scale up production for wider use.
https://nltimes.nl/2026/04/02/worlds-first-lab-grown-t-rex-leather-handbag-unveiled-amsterdam-fetch-eu575000
