In Brooklyn, Charlotte Böhning and Mary Lempres of design studio doppelgänger have developed a process to convert the exoskeletons of mealworms into an alternative for Styrofoam. Dubbed chitofoam, the material is lightweight, water resistant and can be used for food packaging or molded into shapes for everyday items like cups and packing peanuts. The solution […]
In Florida, the designer of a hemp-based car once featured on TV show Jay Leno’s Garage has wound down the project, and reported just two cars were produced. Renew Sports Car inventor and former Dell designer Bruce Dietzen tells Autoevolution the idea was “about seven years ahead of [its] time,” although the promise of hemp […]
In London, consumer goods giant Unilever has announced an “entrepreneurial challenge” aimed at identifying startups, scaleups and academic spinouts with promising functional ingredients for its Beauty & Personal Care products and packaging. The program is part of Unilever’s Positive Beauty Growth Platform, which launched last year with an inaugural challenge targeting social commerce. This iteration […]
In Brazil, researchers at São Paulo State University have made a food packaging material from gelatin, clay and black pepper essential oil. They say the material is edible, biodegradable, anti-microbial and higher performing than petro-based incumbents. The group, comprised of scientists at the University’s Composites and Hybrid Nanocomposites Group, used widely available gelatin as a […]
In Malaysia, researchers across multiple universities are converting the country’s large volume of pineapple waste into products like baby bottle liquid cleansers, meat tenderizers, and even drones. “In recent years, we have seen a rising demand for pineapple-based products like tinned pineapple, jam and vinegar,” University Putra Malaysia professor Aizi Nor Mazila Ramli tells The […]
The Brazilian arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev—the world’s largest brewer—has tapped Israel’s UBQ Materials to integrate waste-based, climate-positive thermoplastics into its packaging mix. UBQ’s process diverts unsorted municipal solid waste from landfills, including all organics, and converts it into a sustainable alternative for petroleum-based plastics, wood, and concrete. “Using waste in the form of a recyclable […]
In Paris, Baywatch star and animal activist Pamela Anderson has partnered with designer Ashoka Paris to introduce a second line of purses made from apple leather. The leather alternative, called Apple Skin, was invented in 2004 by Alberto Volcan in Northern Italy. The material is made from apple waste leftover from the fruit juice industry. […]
In Seattle, amazon has launched a new line of “everyday essentials” with an emphasis on renewable raw materials. Dubbed Amazon Aware, the line includes apparel, home, and beauty products, all “thoughtfully designed” and made from materials such as recycled polyester, organic cotton, and biobased ingredients. “People want to shop more consciously, and at Amazon we […]
In Chicago, popular beer brand Coors Light will eliminate the plastic ring packaging that holds six packs together by the end of this year, and parent company Molson Coors plans to do the same across its North American brands by the end of 2025. The move will require a nearly $85-million investment in packaging machinery […]
In China, designer Meng Du has launched a line of handbags made from vineyard waste—specifically grape marc, which is made up of the skins, pulp, pips and stems left after grapes are pressed. The textile is produced by France’s Planet of the Grapes. The process involves collecting marc from nearby vineyards, drying it using […]
