In China, 3D printer filament manufacturer eSUN has launched PLA-Coffee, a filament made by incorporating dehydrated used coffee grounds into the bioplastic polylactic acid. According to coffee, cocoa, and tea trade magazine Comunicaffe International, the filament is trade named PLA-Coffee. In addition to a lower carbon footprint, PLA-Coffee also improves the visual quality of Fused […]
In the Netherlands, Keller Kitchens has won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for its enduura® elba kitchen cabinet system, which uses biobased chipboard made with a tannin-based binder that is derived from tree bark and produced without added formaldehyde. The surface layer also incorporates renewable resources, with melamine resin produced largely using Dutch biogas. […]
In Georgia, a Suwanee-based pet care brand, has received United States Department of Agriculture-Certified Biobased Product status for its poop bag, training pad, and wipe product lines, with biobased content ranging from 41%-100%. The USDA Certified Biobased Product label is part of the federal BioPreferred Program, established under the 2002 Farm Bill and expanded under […]
In Delaware, Covation Biomaterials and global trend forecasting firm WGSN have released a report examining the material trends expected to shape the textile industry through 2027 and beyond. The report analyzes biobased functional fibers, market data, and consumer behavior to identify emerging opportunities in sustainable apparel development. According to Market Data Forecast, the global biobased […]
In the Netherlands, design studio Artefilo has unveiled a series of home objects made from biobased and reclaimed materials, including elephant grass blended with recycled plastic, reclaimed wood fibers, brick dust, and salvaged hospital cabinetry. Artefilo told Yanko Design that elephant grass and recycled plastic create ceramic-like surfaces without relying on virgin clay or new […]
In California, MOFT, a producer of laptop stands and phone accessories, has unveiled a new line of accessories based on a vegan leather produced from spent coffee grounds combined with waterborne, biobased polyurethane. Dubbed MOVAS-E Coffee Collection, available items include the laptop Carry Sleeve in a color that looks like it was “pulled straight from […]
In Hawaii, biotech startup Kuehnle AgroSystems has closed a multi-million-dollar Series B funding round. The company will use the funds to expand production of the antioxidant astaxanthin for human nutrition. Natural astaxanthin is found in high concentrations in the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis. Kuehnle AgroSystems uses dark fermentation and patented algal strains to increase production efficiency […]
In Mexico, biomaterials firm Polybion and design studio Natural Urbano have introduced Cenit, a made-to-order lighting collection that combines natural ash with Celium, Polybion’s cultivated cellulose material grown from agricultural fruit waste. Building on the partners’ Lapso lighting exhibit at London Design Festival, Cenit explores the use of renewable materials in interior design through pendant […]
In the United Kingdom, a company converting wetland plants into a goose down alternative has been awarded a £2.4 million (US$3.19 million) grant. Ponda will use the funds to grow broadleaf cattail on restored wetland, keeping carbon stored in soil. The material is trade-named BioPuff and has already attracted interest from sustainable fashion houses Stella […]
In London, Audrey Levy has “grown” a compostable refrigerator out of bacterial cellulose and felted wool as a senior project for the prestigious design school Central Saint Martins. Dubbed Xero Cool, Levy imagines cooling the soft capsule with solar thermal energy, where a rooftop solar collector captures the sun’s heat and uses it to power […]
