U.S. Rep. Sorensen visits Peoria company, highlighting manufacturing in the area

Natural Fiber Welding hosted U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen Tuesday afternoon, in the congressman’s effort to highlight sustainable manufacturing jobs.
The company creates items, such as shoes and handbags, out of plant-based materials. The main material is called MIRUM, a plant-based material that is plastic free and isn’t leather, although it looks like it.
The Rockford Democrat toured the facility, learning more about the company and how it creates products. The company collaborates with dozens of businesses, including BMW, Patagonia, and H&M.
“They’re employing lots of people here on this line, making something that is going into shoes and belts and car seats and the things that we take for granted every day. And they’re doing it using natural material,” he said.
Company president Steve Zika claimed that while many companies are looking at new technologies to make combinations of natural and synthetic materials, Natural Fiber Welding is the only company making it “naturally.”
Sorensen highlighted the company’s innovative practices, and that the importance of having such a company in Peoria shouldn’t be overlooked.
“If you were to be able to grind this up, you could put it right into your backyard, and it’s going to go away with time. We can’t say that about any other product like this today,” he said.
Zika said the company started in 2016, and that 2024 represents a year of “growth.” He said there is potential for the company to increase its scale.
“We work with some of the largest, best brands in the world today, supplying our materials into their shoes, into their handbags, into their accessories, car seats, et cetera,” he said.
This comes after the company announced that it was laying off 10% of its workforce last year. Founder and CEO Luke Haverhals said in a statement last year that the layoffs would allow the company to be more “efficient.”
Sorensen also made a visit to She-Pop Gourmet Popcorn in Peoria, in an effort to highlight a woman-owned small business.