In San Luis Valley, Colorado, large-format 3D printing design firm Emerging Objects has 3D printed a mud hut, complete with a fireplace, bedroom, and bathtub. Using sand, silt, clay and water, the Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm made three connected cylindrical huts that were then allowed to dry in the sun. The huts were named […]
In Delaware, a producer of biobased coffee pods has earned certification from the United States Department of Agriculture. Smile Beverage Werks says the Certified Biobased Product label will be available for its coffee pods compatible with the ubiquitous Keurig K-Cup brewers. The Certified Biobased Product label is a third-party verification program through the USDA BioPreferred […]
In Mexico, summer beer mainstay Corona is testing a six-pack holder made of recycled wood fibers and barley straw. The popular beer, whose tagline “Find your beach” invokes its branding as summertime suds, says barley straw on its own was too fragile to hold the beers. A “unique” pulping process and the addition of wood […]
In Chicago, candy behemoth Mars Wrigley has inked a two-year deal with polyhydroxyalkanoate manufacturer Danimer Scientific to create biodegradable wrappers for Skittles. Mars hopes to have the new biodegradable packaging on shelves late this year or early next, and has set a longer-term target of reaching 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by 2025. The […]
In New York, kelp-to-yarn startup AlgiKnit has raised $2.1 million to advance development and commercialization of its biodegradable fibers. Investors include SOSV and Horizons Ventures, which is among the backers of Impossible Foods. According to vegconomist, the ethical fashion market will reach $8.25 billion by 2023 as consumers opt for greener options. Fashion accounts for […]
In Switzerland, consumer goods giant Nestlé will begin using biobased polyethylene for lids and scoops in its childcare nutrition segment. The lids contain 66% sugarcane-based plastic, while the scoops will be 95% biobased content. The bioplastics can be recycled along with conventional PE and will maintain the same levels of hygiene and shelf life. The […]
In California, SynBioBeta, a community of entrepreneurs, investors, policy makers and enthusiasts devoted to the responsible growth of the synthetic biology field, has done a deep dive on the numerous ways synthetic biology could help save Earth’s beleaguered oceans. Synthetic biology is already replacing ingredients that were once sourced from the ocean, according to the […]
In Los Angeles, online prescription eyewear company EyeBuyDirect has launched a new collection of frames that sport eco-friendly materials, including bioplastic, wood, and recycled acetate. “We want to create eyewear that not only looks good, but also benefits the environment,” says Jim Merk, Brand Director for EyeBuyDirect, in a press statement. “We know consumers are […]
In Tokyo, Yokogawa Electric Corporation has launched Yokogawa Bio Frontier Inc. to develop businesses related to the production and sales of biomass materials, as well as associated licensing and consulting activities. Yokogawa Bio Frontier will focus on developing and commercializing value-added, plant-based biomass materials, such as nanocellulose and lignin monomer, that can be used to […]
In Uganda, researchers at the Makerere University in Kampala have developed a biobased packaging from maize stover that could be used to prevent spoilage of fruits and vegetables. Dubbed Stoverpack and developed in collaboration with scientists at Bangor University’s BioComposites Centre, the new material could also boost incomes for Uganda’s rural farmers, most of whom […]
