Why I Founded Grapevine Futures

By Julie Twohey, Founder & Strategic Director

Welcome to Grapevine Futures!

For years, I’ve loved wine for reasons that go far beyond the glass. I’ve always been captivated by the science behind winemaking - the chemistry, the terroir, the lifecycle of the vine. But the more I learned, the more one truth became impossible to ignore: the wine industry produces an extraordinary amount of unused, under-valued plant material that holds enormous potential. 

Every harvest, mountains of grape pomace, pruned canes, skins, and unharvested clusters are left behind. For generations, this has been seen as “waste.” To me, it looked like opportunity. 

A Spark From Science - and a Call From the Future

My background in biology has taught me that the world is full of overlooked resources. Nature is efficient - humans are not. When I discovered emerging research out of place like the University of Guelph (where I did my undergrad), UC Davis, and UBC showing that grape fibres could potentially be transformed into durable, versatile biomaterials, something clicked. 

What if a simple grape could live a second life?

What if wine’s by-products could become textiles, leather alternatives, and materials that lighten our environmental footprint?

And what if we could build this innovation in collaboration with the very regions that have shaped winemaking culture for centuries? 

A Founder’s Perspective: Sustainability is Personal

As a mother of two boys, I am conscious of the world they will inherit. I want them to grow up believing that sustainability is not an abstract concept - it’s a responsibility that each generation carries. I want them to see that innovative ideas don’t have to come from massive corporations; sometimes they begin with curiosity, research, and the courage to build something new. 

Grapevine Futures is the legacy I hope to leave them: a company rooted in science, driven by possibility, and committed to solutions that matter.

Why Grapes? Why Now?

The global fashion and materials industries are in the middle of a reckoning. Leather alternatives are booming, yet many rely on plastics that ultimately worsen environmental harm. Meanwhile, wine regions like Napa Valley, Ontario, and British Columbia are already searching for deeper sustainability initiatives. 

Grapes sit at the intersection of both worlds: 

• Abundant waste supply

• Rich organic structure ideal for fibre development

• Existing research foundation - but major gaps in scalability

• A luxury product heritage that aligns beautifully with high-end textiles

The potential is enormous. The timing is perfect.

Niagara Region & Napa Valley: The Inspiration Behind the Vision

My admiration for both Niagara and Napa runs deep. Both regions foster a culture of craftsmanship, respect for science, and commitment to sustainable innovation that resonates with me on every level. These wine regions are some of the few places in the world where tradition and cutting edge research co-exist in harmony. Grapevine Futures was inspired, in many ways, by that balance. 

I founded this company with the hope of contributing to these ecosystems - working alongside researchers, winemakers, and sustainability leaders who share the belief that agriculture can fuel the next generation of materials. 

Building a Circular Future

Grapevine Futures exists for one core reason: I believe that what we discard today can become the innovations of tomorrow. 

By transforming viticultural by-products into eco-friendly textiles, we’re not just creating new materials - we’re creating new pathways for wineries, researchers, designers, and communities. We’re helping shift an entire industry toward a circular economy where nothing of value is wasted. 

The Road Ahead

We’re still in the early chapters, but the vision is clear: 

• Partner with leading researchers to refine and scale grape-based biomaterials

• Collaborate with wineries who want to turn sustainability into opportunity

• Build materials that match the quality demands of luxury design

• Create a model that other agricultural sectors can eventually follow

 Grapevine Futures is both a scientific mission and a personal one. It represents my values, my curiosity, my love of wine science, and my hope for a more sustainable future for my boys. 

And this is just the beginning.