In Italy, a bioplastics installation that changes color based on UV radiation has been on display at Milan Design Week. Designed by Crafting Plastics Studio and DumoLab Research, the hanging installation—dubbed entitled Sensbiom 2—is made from cellulose and algae infused with photochromic elements. The latter makes the Sensbiom 2 change colors in the presence of […]
In Italy, medical supplies company Corman has codeveloped a bioplastic tampon applicator in collaboration with Slovenian sanitary supply firm, Tosama. The applicators, which are made by injection-molding waste from wheat, corn and sugarcane, took a decade to develop and will be sold under the Organyc brand, beginning in the third quarter. “Tosama is one of […]
In Estonia, ÄIO and Fibenol have partnered to develop a reliable alternative to traditionally produced fats and vegetable oils. The partnership will leverage Fibenol’s process, which converts wood residues into lignin and two types of sugars, and ÄIO’s technology, which converts sugars into oils and fatty acids for functional food, feed, and cosmetics ingredients. Traditionally, […]
In New York, designer Chiu-Lian Lee is using lab-growth proteins to produce colored textiles, having been inspired to create sustainable change for the fashion industry while a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2018. “I was really frustrated about the status quo of how textiles were being made,” she tells Fast Company. Lee […]
In the Netherlands, certification program TÜV Austria has confirmed single-serve coffee capsules from Rosiro Group are compostable. Dubbed Solinatra and made from plant-based materials. TÜV Austria’s certification means the capsules can be used in home compost bins and regular food waste collection. The capsule’s material also features high oxygen and water vapor barrier properties, keeping […]
In India, a top refiner may soon be adding biobased naphtha to its ethylene crackers to help decarbonize its operations. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, chairman of Indian Oil, revealed the plans to Reuters at this year’s Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference, but did not provide a timeline. “To attain sustainability, bio-based feedstocks such as bio-naphtha and bio-ethanol […]
In California, synthetic biology leader Amyris, Inc. has signed an exclusive license agreement with British specialty chemicals company Croda International for the supply of biobased squalene. Squalene is commonly derived from shark liver, but Amyris’ sugarcane-derived, sustainable squalene is molecularly identical to the traditional shark source and offers a higher purity, more predictable cost profile […]
In Australia, winemaker St Hubert’s has promised to deploy 100,000 biodegradable seed pods using drone technology from AirSeed, and is advertising its efforts with billboards that also contain seeds and biodegrade. The campaign for St Hubert’s The Stag cabernet sauvignon will focus on Victoria’s Winton Wetlands, an area hit hard by extreme weather. The billboards […]
In San Francisco, biobased sneaker pioneer Allbirds has launched its first golf shoe. The Dasher Golf Shoe retails for $145 and is available in both men’s and women’s sizes on the company’s website. Materials include sugarcane-derived ethylene vinyl acetate, natural rubber, biobased thermoplastic polyurethane, and recycled polyester. The Dasher Golf Shoe features the same design […]
In Chicago, mushroom-based materials startup Mycocycle has raised $2.2 million. Mycocycle’s technology addresses “waste mismanagement” by transforming industrial waste into new raw materials. It does this by optimizing the natural functions of fungi to detoxify and transform waste such as asphalt shingles, insulation board, crumb rubber, gypsum drywall, fibers, and other hard-to-recycle building materials. Such […]
