In Italy, grape waste bioplastics maker Vegea has expanded production capacity for its GrapeSkin material, including production lines specifically for fashion- and interior-grades. Founded in 2016, major brands such as Calvin Klein, Diadora, and Bentley have already used GrapeSkin in their designs. In 2023, Taylor Swift sported Stella McCartney stiletto boots made from the material. “Designers […]
In Denmark, architecture studio Det Levende Hus has partnered with mycelium materials firm Rebound to create interior doors with a fungi core. The door was made by growing the mycelium into a mold to make rigid panels. Rebound co-founder Jon Strunge told design publication dezeen that the collaboration aimed to “demonstrate how regenerative, high-performance mycelium-based […]
In the Czech Republic, cultivated pork startup Mewery has added Vesna VC to its stable of investors. Vesna VC invested several hundred thousand euros into the €7 million (US$8 million) seed round, which Mewery said is about halfway finished. It is expected to close by the third quarter. Mewery also announced that it has achieved […]
In Italy, Recupero Etico Sostenibile has acquired an offline biobased polylactic acid plant from Petalo Due for €2.7 million (US$3.1 million). The deal includes contracts, certifications, trademarks, patents and operating permits. The Termoli, Campobasso plant has the capacity to produce 5,000 metric tons of PLA annually and uses technology licensed from Sulzer. RES expects the […]
In Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland spinout Elea & Lili has raised €2.5 million (US$2.9 million) to commercialize its cellulose-based alternative for fossil-based superabsorbent polymers. Dubbed Cellulose Super Absorbent, the microplastic-free, biodegradable material is first being applied to disposable diapers and agriculture, end markets that generate large amounts of plastics waste and microplastic […]
In India, Avid Organics is set to launch glycolic acid—one of the most consequential actives in modern skincare for cosmetics market—produced from plant-based feedstocks. Trade named AviGa™ Bio HP70, the 70% cosmetic-grade solution meets the stringent purity requirements for regulated personal care, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications. Avid Organics’ manufacturing process also ensures rigorous control of trace […]
In Houston, petrochemicals distributor Premier Product Marketing has signed a 15-year binding offtake agreement for biobased polypropylene manufactured by Citroniq. The deal represents half of the output from Citroniq’s planned facility in Nebraska, which is expected to begin production in 2029. Under the terms of the agreement, Premier Product Marketing will leverage its extensive international […]
In California, Intec Bioplastics has launched a $75-million Regulation A+ offering to expand manufacturing and recovery capacity for sustainable packaging in the US. Capital raised will support the development of ten manufacturing and distribution centers across the United States over the next 48 months to expand production of Intec’s EarthPlus® materials. Intec’s lead product, Hercules BioFlex™ […]
In Switzerland, cellulose biomaterials company Seprify has raised €13.4 million (US$15.8 million) in a Series A funding that included participation from Inter IKEA Group. Una Terra Early Growth Fund, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Kickfund, and other circular-economy-aligned investors also participated. With the new capital, Seprify will scale commercial production to hundreds of metric tons […]
In South Korea, femtech startup Inertia has begun selling its sanitary napkins, which replace petroleum-based super absorbent polymers with biobased alternatives, in the US market. Dubbed Prism Pads, the absorbent material core is based on cellulose. “Although many products today emphasize natural materials, in reality, most sanitary pads only use organic cotton in the top […]
