In Sri Lanka, two entrepreneurs are working to launch a biodegradable, antimicrobial alternative to the N95 mask widely used to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Dubbed Mel-Cotta, the masks are made from banana stalk fibers and coated with honey and propolis, a resin made by bees to seal hives. They were developed by David Churches […]
In California, GreenTek Packaging has launched what it says is the first-ever disposable cutlery made from hemp. The Hemptensils line of forks, spoons, and knives are 100% plant-based and compostable but have a shelf life of more than four years. They are currently available on GreenTek’s site as well as Amazon. The hemp is currently […]
In Poland, designer Sofia Jaśkiewicz has created a line of tableware and packaging made from sugar beet waste. The items are made by adding other natural materials to sugar beet pulp and leaves, accompanied with binding and pressing steps to form papers, chipboards and composites. “I’m interested in the exploration of new uses for unusual […]
In Singapore, researchers have developed a method to convert pineapple leaf fibers into aerogels with applications in food preservation and wastewater treatment. National University of Singapore Associate Professor Duong Hai-Minh says the aerogels are very versatile. “They are effective as oil absorbents and for heat and sound insulation,” he says. “We have also demonstrated their […]
In Australia, a startup is developing cell-based meat replacements for rarely eaten animals, including kangaroo, lion, tortoise, and yak. Vow Foods, which says it takes about six weeks to grow cells into meat, has already launched dumplings made with cultured kangaroo meat. “There have been various historical reports of how delicious the meat of the Galapagos […]
In Austria, material chemists at the University of Vienna have evaluated the viability of vegan leather made from fungi. In a review article published in Nature Sustainability, Alexander Bismarck and Mitchell Jones discuss the use of agricultural and forestry byproducts to grow fungal mycelium into leather-like materials through physical and chemical treatments. “As a result, […]
In Sweden, popular vodka brand Absolut has rolled out 2,000 paper bottle prototypes ahead of a wider production run in November. The prototypes are made of 57% paper, with the balance made from 100% recycled plastic. The first bottles will be available in Sweden and the UK, with wider distribution in spring after consumer feedback. […]
In Canada, a designer has partnered with researchers at the University of British Columbia to create an air-purifying, algae-based fabric. Dubbed Biogarmentry, the living Chlamydomonas reinhardtii undergoes photosynthesis, removing carbon from the atmosphere in the process. Designer Roya Aghighi tells CNN one of her main goals was to reduce the environmental impact of the textiles. […]
In Germany, Trebodur has developed a biodegradable packaging material from brewery waste. Specifically, creators Niko and Tillmann found that brewers’ spent grains—the residue left over from barley malt during the lautering step of beer-making—contain self-binding fiber, which they dubbed “mabeerial.” Mabeerial can replace paper and plastic packaging in single-use items such as plates and cutlery. […]
In India, Finance Minister T Harish Rao urged citizens to switch from plastic plates to biodegradable alternatives made from Areca palm. Speaking at the inauguration of an Areca palm plate manufacturing facility in Siddipet, Rao told reporters the plates decompose within 64 hours and can be made from fallen leaves without harming the tree. The […]
