In South Korea, mushroom-based material startup Mycel has raised $10 million in a pre-Series A funding round. A spin-off from Hyundai Motor’s in-house startup program, Mycel uses mycelium, the root-like structure of mushroom, to make leather substitutes for products like car seats, shoes, cosmetics, and clothes. Company cofounder and CEO Sungjin Sah tells TechCrunch the […]
In Germany, laboratory consumables company Eppendorf has launched test tubes made from 90% biobased plastic. Available in sizes 5.0 mL, 15 mL, 25 mL and 50 mL, the bioplastic is made from food oil waste and residues, with the remaining 10% conventional fossil-based feedstocks. “Used cooking oil is not only a promising resource but it […]
In Singapore, two major cultivated meat companies have partnered to develop lab-grown beef and secure regulatory approval. Under the terms of the agreement, Switzerland’s MIRAI FOODS will supply Gaia Foods, a subsidiary of Singapore’s Shiok Meats, with its bovine muscle and fat stem cells. In turn, Shiok Meats will provide MIRAI with its advanced regulatory […]
Across Europe, singer-songwriter and fashion force Harry Styles is reportedly sporting multiple pairs of renewable sneakers made by Gucci and adidas while on tour. The collaborative kicks, which run for $850, were designed by Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele in the classic adidas Gazelle style but with Gucci accents, like trefoil print on the tongue […]
In Estonia, startup Woola believes wool could be the next sustainable packaging option to address the environmental footprint of e-commerce. The company claims that 90% of wool produced in Europe is unused because it is too coarse to be used for yarn. Paired with paper, this unused wool could be used for plastic-free protective packaging […]
In Spain, fast fashion giant ZARA is using pineapple-based vegan leather called Piñatex in a range of sneakers, sandals and accessories. London’s Ananas Anam, which produces the leather alternative, tells vegconomist their material is the most sustainable plant-based leather alternative available at scale. The PIÑATEX x ZARA SA line uses Piñatex in the uppers of sneakers, and […]
In California, food tech firm Planetarians is converting spent brewers’ yeast sourced from AB InBev—maker of popular beer brands like Budweiser and Stella Artois—into vegan ribs and other meat alternatives. The idea was something of a win-win for both parties, according to Planetarians, which first approached InBev in 2021, because spent yeast can be expensive […]
In Australia, a husband-and-wife team of entrepreneurs has raised $24 million to advance commercialization of a compostable cling wrap made from potato waste. Called Great Wrap, the material breaks down into carbon and water within 6 months. Groundswell Ventures, Springbank Collective, and Trail Mix Ventures all participated in the Series A, which will help Great […]
In South Korea, K-pop supergroup BLACKPINK has announced its latest album, BORN PINK, will also be green. The highly anticipated sophomore album, which was two years in the making, is expected to do well, judging by their aggressive 2022-23 tour schedule and the explosion of interest in K-pop genre. But as ambassadors for climate change, […]
In California, cultivated meat maker Novel Farms has claimed production of the world’s first lab-grown, marbled pork loin. Many cultivated meat companies focus on making sausages or burgers because producing meat that mimics conventional meat cuts, with marbling and muscle fibers, is currently extremely difficult. Novel Farms claims to have solved the problem by developing […]
