In the Netherlands, building a home from straw or fungi could earn you a cheaper mortgage. Introduced by Triodos, a bank headquartered in Zeist, the “bio-based mortgage” provides a lower interest rate to homes bought or built using materials such as wood, flax, or fungi. The bank estimates just 1-2% of buildings in the country […]
In California, sustainable outdoor gear brand Patagonia and Switzerland’s HeiQ have developed mint-based textile odor control technology. Dubbed HeiQ Fresh MNT, the product uses a renewable and responsibly sourced mint oil-derived textile technology to control malodor development on textiles, providing fabrics with a long-lasting odor control capability. Based on test method ISO17299-3A using isovaleric acid, […]
In Washington, DC, the Department of Energy has announced $39 million in R&D grants to 18 projects aimed at turning buildings into carbon storage. Led by DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, selectees for the Harnessing Emissions into Structures Taking Inputs from the Atmosphere program will prioritize overcoming barriers associated with carbon-storing buildings, including scarce, expensive […]
In Germany, adidas is attempting to lure sneakerheads away from Kanye West’s iconic, algae-based Yeezy line with a renewable sandal offering of its own. Technology and culture publication Input Mag calls the new Adilette 22 slides “every bit as good as Yeezy’s” and “just about” as hard to acquire. “The shoe’s aesthetic strays from Adidas’s […]
In California, novelty sandal brand Sanuk has launched the sixth iteration of its Grateful Dead-themed collection of sneakers and sandals Replete with the expected earth tones, floral patterns, and Deadhead design details, the sandals and sneakers use hemp, cotton, recycled polyester, and algae foam wherever possible. “This expansion of our partnership with the band embodies […]
In San Francisco, a cultivated meat startup that counts rock group Coldplay among its investors has changed its name from Artemys Foods to SCiFi Foods and raised $22 million in a Series A funding round. The company hopes to launch beef burgers made of both lab-grown cells and plant protein. According to Green Queen, Andreessen […]
Danish toymaker Dantoy has launched a biobased playset appropriately themed as a gardening kit. Suitable for ages two and up, the Dantoy BioPlastic Gardening Kit includes a watering can, shovel, rake, two pots, two signs, and a sheet of stickers. According to a product description on e-commerce site Smallable, the gardening kit is “perfect for […]
In Sweden, vodka behemoth Absolut is trialing biobased bottle caps ahead of commercial launch in 2023. Developed in partnership with Blue Ocean Closures, the caps are produced using FSC-certified, fiber-based materials. They are recyclable in paper streams but also biodegrade if they end up in the environment. “We know that collaboration across the whole value […]
In France, cognac brand Maison A de Fussigny has debuted a plant-based bottle for its 2050 Organic Cognac. Weighing just 85 grams, the Green Gen Bottle is made of flax fiber and organically sourced resin. It is also water-soluble and biodegradable. “We are proud to be the first to use the Green Gen Bottle which […]
In New York, sustainable clothing line PANGAIA has launched a limited-edition sweatshirt made from Spiber’s Brewed Protein fiber and organic cotton. The hoodie, called NXT Gen, is the first time a sweatshirt made from the fibers will be available globally for purchase. However, just 200 were produced. They are available on pangaia.com with a steep price […]
