In the United Kingdom, scientists at Cambridge University have developed biodegradable glitter made from nanocrystals of cellulose extracted from fruit waste. The sustainable sparkle solution can be used in any application that currently uses glitter, such as cosmetics and crafts, but is free of microplastics and metals that make conventional glitter bad for the environment. […]
In France, an entrepreneurial couple is repurposing mangos and bananas to produce a slaughter-free leather alternative. Loïc Debrabander and Anaëlle Picavet launched VegSkin because of a lack of sustainable leathers, telling the publication 20 minutes that while animal-free leather does exist, it is often made from polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride—both of which come from petroleum feedstocks. “We were looking for […]
In India, The Vazhakkulam Agro and Fruit Processing Company will soon begin producing cutlery and plates from pineapple leaves. A joint venture owned by Kerala state and pineapple farmers, VAFPC has received ₹2.55 crore (US$343,000) from the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, a government scheme for developing India’s agricultural industries, for the project. Indian Institute of […]
In Switzerland, a research group has developed an edible, plant-based coating for produce, which a major supermarket chain in the country will soon begin testing. Empa developed the coating at its Cellulose & Wood Materials Library by converting pomace—what is left after juice is extracted from fruits and vegetables—into a cellulose fiber that can be […]
Big name shoe and apparel companies like Nike, Pangaia and Old Navy are on a sustainability roll. News from Nike on their work with Newlight Technologies for wearables that actually sequester carbon, Pangaia’s addition of two new biobased fabrics to its collection made from pineapple and banana leaf waste and nettles, eucalyptus and seaweed, and […]
It’s Christmas morning for many and biobased Barbies are on the horizon with Mattel’s promise to use only recycled, recyclable, or renewable plastics in all products by 2030, starting with the Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack made from sugarcane plastics. And soon you can write letters to Santa on paper made from waste pineapple leaves while munching on […]
In Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency reported that Malaysia’s Ministry of Plantation and Commodities proposed investing in new technologies and infrastructure to more efficiently convert waste from palm oil production into biomass energy. Minister of Plantation and Commodities Johari Abdul Ghani said that waste industry materials like empty fruit bunches (EFB), mesocarp fiber, and palm kernel […]
In California, in Northern San Joaquin Valley, agricultural leftovers such as almond shells, fruit peels, and orchard trimmings can potentially be converted into sustainable bioproducts and biofuels – with the right technology. This week, Schmidt Sciences’ Virtual Institute on Feedstocks of the Future awarded new funding to a group investigating how to make better use […]
In Malaysia, Dagang News reports Citaglobal Bhd sealed a joint development framework agreement (JDFA) with SUS Holding Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shanghai parent company SUS Environment Co Ltd (SUS Environment), the largest solid waste incinerator supplier in China. With this JDFA, the two parties will collaborate on waste to energy (WtE) projects in […]
In California, Dole Packaged Foods has partnered with circular design firm Rais Case and Ananas Anam, creator of pineapple-based textile Piñatex, to tackle pineapple industry waste. On Earth Day, the three companies unveiled a limited-edition Vida Bag made with Piñatex material sourced from Dole Philippines farms. “These types of collaborations like ours with Dole and […]
