In South Carolina, mushroom materials maker MycoWorks will bring a new production facility online in September. The facility will add millions of square feet of capacity for the company’s Reishi-brand vegan leather. The Union plant will employ over 350 people, according to Retail Dive, and was financed through a $125 million funding round closed in […]
In Japan, Mitsubishi Corporation, Suntory Holdings Limited, ENEOS Corporation, and NESTE Corporation have joined forces to establish a sustainable supply chain for polyethylene terephthalate bottles made from renewable resources. Under the terms of the deal, NESTE Corporation will supply biobased naphtha produced from waste and residue oils, including used cooking oil. ENEOS will convert the […]
In the Netherlands, Meatable has secured $35 million to help boost operations and accelerate commercial sales. The fundraise, which bring its total funding to $95 million, was led by Agronomics with participation from new investor Dutch impact fund Invest-NL. Established backers BlueYard, Bridford, MilkyWay, DSM Venturing, and Taavet Hinrikus, the Chairman and Founder of Wise, […]
In the Netherlands, dairy protein alternative startup Vivici has secured seed funding with backing from founding investors dsm-firmenich Venturing and Fonterra. The size of the funding was not disclosed. Vivici has built expertise in bioprocess development, scale-up, and know-how in the extraction and application of dairy proteins and says it is strategically positioned commercialize animal-free […]
In the US, a group of cultural activists known as the Barbie Liberation Organization recently faked a Mattel announcement that the toymaker was launching a line of biodegradable Barbie dolls made from mushrooms. Dubbed MyCelia, the dolls were said to feature female role models Julia Butterfly Hill, Greta Thunberg, Nemonte Nenquimo, Phoebe Plummer and Daryl […]
In Australia, Shark Stop has developed shark-bite wetsuits made of biobased neoprene—a welcome innovation as warming waters brings sharks closer to coastal waters. The material took four years to develop and is “scientifically proven” to reduce the depth of a Great White shark bite. According to Shark Stop, the suits are “ideal for surfers and […]
In the Netherlands, Mosa Meat is celebrating ten years since the world’s first cultivated beef burger was unveiled. In a blog post, the company said it was “happy” to be among the 150 cellular agriculture companies that were launched after the August 5, 2013 unveiling, and noted that many of these companies are showing great […]
In Germany, semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies has introduced a biodegradable printed circuit board substrate made from natural fibers. Dubbed Soluboard and designed in partnership with UK’s Jiva Materials, Infineon hopes the innovation will advance the chip manufacturing industry’s sustainability credentials. The fibers replace glass-based fibers that caused higher carbon emissions to produce. And, when placed […]
In Maryland, sports apparel firm Under Armour has signed a hemp sourcing deal with Ecofibre subsidiary Hemp Black worth over $6 million. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding for Hemp Black to be the exclusive supplier of biobased yarns for three years. According to Just-Style, Under Armor is also investing $4.5 million in […]
In Tokyo, Sumitomo Chemical has tapped Massachusetts-based synbio firm Conagen as a development partner for biobased p-hydroxystyrene and its polymer, poly p-hydroxystyrene. PHS is a pivotal ingredient in the production of polymers, resins, and various chemicals, while the monomer is a fundamental component for the synthesis of substances including pharmaceuticals and fragrances. The two companies […]
