Dr. Martens and Gen Phoenix have entered a long-term materials partnership at a moment when most next-gen innovators are retreating.
Over the last two years, several high-profile alternatives once positioned as the future of leather have collapsed under commercial pressure. Mycelium leather company MycoWorks shut down its South Carolina plant in October 2024. And Bolt Threads discontinued its mushroom- and bio-based leather development through 2023–2024 after pivoting to beauty. Textile-to-textile recycler Renewcell filed for bankruptcy in 2023 before being acquired and restructured in 2024. And Natural Fiber Welding began winding down operations in 2024 and officially closed up shop on September of this year. Piñatex-maker Ananas Anam, meanwhile, entered administration in October 2025. Venture capital funding to this sector dried up as investors prioritized faster-return sectors. And few reached the commercial scale brands needed.
Against that backdrop, the Dr. Martens and material producer Gen Phoenix have joined forces. The partners have now released four seasons of products using Genix Nappa, the reclaimed-leather material co-developed by Gen Phoenix for the brand. Its latest Solar Flare drop, launched November 13, includes kids’ boots and a bag. Both partners said early sales are “in line with expectations.”
Dr. Martens introduced Genix Nappa in 2024, in adult boots inspired by the iconic 1460 style, as well as a derby style, women’s Chelsea boots and structured crossbody bags. Current pricing sits slightly above or in line with Dr. Martens’s core products: Kids’ Genix Nappa boots retail for $100–$115, versus $82–$95 for standard styles, while adult products generally fall in the $200–$240 range, overlapping the mainline leather assortment. The intent is parity, not creating a “sustainable surcharge,” said Gen Phoenix CMO Elyse Winer.
For Dr. Martens, the reason the partnership works comes down to performance. “Our evaluation process is exactly the same as for any other material,” said Jack Connors, product sustainability manager. “We’re looking for materials that meet [our] durability, flex and technical standards.” The company tested the material in real-world conditions, like “factory floors and a few mosh pits,” before committing. Where many alternatives cracked or failed stitching tests, Genix Nappa held up.
Connors added that Gen Phoenix’s manufacturing infrastructure, including established facilities in the U.K. and Europe, provided confidence. “There was a scalable platform to build from,” he said. And, because production was close to Dr. Martens’s own design and development teams, the brand could test and iterate quickly.
Gen Phoenix’s 15-year background in making aviation and mass-transport seating meant the material had already been proven to meet strict durability and price-competitiveness standards. “We had to compete at or better than incumbent solutions,” said Winer. “Durability is a hallmark of our material.” The company also has a long-standing partnership with Coach.
As for customer responses, Winer said they appreciated the lighter weight and easier break-in process. Connors said this reframed the internal positioning, from just catering to a customer seeking sustainability to providing benefits to a certain customer.
To promote the collaborative products, Dr. Martens is using targeted, product-led social posts, including Reels, plus press drops. The tagline “Reclaimed leather. Remade to last.” anchors the message.
In 2021, Dr. Martens approached Gen Phoenix with a long-term view rather than a marketing-driven pilot. Gen Phoenix often presents 10-year development timelines to partners that allow for product co-development and iterations on the partnership, per the company.
Years of behind-the-scenes work preceded the partners’ first SKU. “If we’re going to put in all of the time, effort and testing that this takes — months, if not years — the material has to be suitable not just in that iteration, but in many others,” Connors said. More material finishes and product silhouettes are currently in development, and closed-loop systems using factory-floor waste are part of the roadmap.
The timing aligns with Dr. Martens’s broader reboot under CEO Ije Nwokorie, who joined the brand in January. After sales fell 10% in 2023 and 8% in 2024, the brand is refocusing on premium positioning, product elevation and a return to craft. In the 26 weeks through September 28, its revenue edged up about 1%, according to company earnings.
In its first-half 2026 results, reported on November 20, Dr. Martens reported revenues of $416 million (£327.3 million), with its full-price DTC sales rising 6%, footwear sales increasing 20% in DTC and 33% overall, and gross margin improving despite U.S. tariff pressures. It absorbed part of this year’s U.S. tariff increases to protect demand and is mitigating the rest through flexible sourcing, targeted pricing and freight efficiencies. The U.S. returned to mid-single-digit growth in the first half, Japan and South Korea posted gains, and Europe’s decline moderated. Dr. Martens improved profitability through cost controls, a stronger full-price mix and closer wholesale collaboration. The brand has reduced its SKU count by 45% since 2023 and is investing in new product families that expand wearing occasions without adding complexity.
Doc Martens’ new two-story Soho flagship, which opened on Wednesday, leans hard into heritage and construction. “Made in England” products are displayed prominently alongside structured bags, elevated silhouettes and limited-edition collaborations. A repair bar, maker residencies and café-led programming reinforce a more premium, community-driven brand expression.
The Gen Phoenix partnership serves multiple strategic needs for the brand: It reduces waste, supports comfort and durability for customers, strengthens the brand’s premium story, integrates easily into existing production lines, and opens the door to new silhouettes and categories. It also advances the company’s net-zero pathway without relying on unproven bio-based technologies as regulation rears its head in the E.U.
“Now is not the time to stop investing [in sustainability],” Connors said. “There’s too much opportunity.”
