In Poland, synthetic rubber producer Synthos has advanced its partnership with Lummus subsidiary Green Circle for biobased butadiene production. After completing a successful feasibility study in 2021, Lummus and Synthos have concluded that the technology is ready for implementation and have agreed to move into the engineering and design phase. They have also decided to […]
In South Carolina, private equity firm Apollo Funds says it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Novolex Holdings LLC, which makes packaging from fiber, renewable, recycled and biobased materials and resins, from Carlyle. Financial terms were not disclosed. Carlyle will retain a minority stake in Novolex, which has more than […]
In India, cricketer Virat Kohli and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma have invested in Mumbai-based alternative protein startup Blue Tribe Foods. The couple, who married in 2017, will also act as brand ambassadors. Blue Tribe Foods was founded in 2019 and is one of a number of companies pursuing “smart proteins” in the lucrative Indian market. […]
In Norway, up and coming designer Mari Koppanen is revisiting a mushroom leather that was once commonly used in the Transylvanian region. She recently featured the nearly-lost technique in the Fomes furniture range. Comprising a stool and matching bench, the pieces were upholstered in amadou, a spongy, suede-like material made from Fomes fomentarius. The fungus’s […]
In California, several celebrities have signed on for a $37-milllion, Series A funding for Zero Acre Farms, a company developing vegetable oils produced by fermentation. The company hopes its technology could end deforestation and harmful health impacts linked to global demand for vegetable oils such as soybean, sunflower, canola, and palm oil. The oversubscribed funding […]
In France, a company is using 3D printing and biobased materials to bring the surf community a more sustainable experience. Wyve, based in the Basque beach area, is replacing the polystyrene and EPS foam “blanks” that make traditional surfboards buoyant with inner hexagons that trap air. The structure is 3D printed using polylactic acid bioplastic […]
In Sweden, electric car manufacturer Polestar has tapped artist Thijs Biersteker and his Woven Studio design group to showcase the strength and durability of biobased materials. For the project, Biersteker created an interactive sculpture named “We Harvest Wind” that was inspired by Polestar’s Life Cycle Assessment report. The work features a spherical shape suspended […]
In China, a biobased polycarbonate copolymer produced by Saudi Arabia’s SABIC is being used in smartphones sold by emerging consumer electronics maker realme. Dubbed Elcrin EXL 7414 PC, the material is over 50% biobased content from waste materials that do not compete with the food chain according to the mass balance approach. A preliminary SABIC […]
In Japan, Kaneka has announced plans to triple production capacity for its biodegradable poly 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate (PHBH) polymer. The company expects to spend about ¥15 billion (US$130 million) to add 15,000 tons of annual capacity by 2024. The company already has capacity for 5,000 tons a year. The biopolymer—sold under the brand Green Planet—is produced from […]
In Switzerland, chemical company Clariant has launched a range of 100% biobased surfactants and polyethylene glycols. Dubbed Vita, the ingredients were developed for formulators looking to boost natural content of detergents, hair and body shampoos, paints, industrial lubricants, and crop formulations. “From the packaging to the many ingredients, a typical consumer product in coatings, personal […]
