In Ohio, an artist and assistant professor at University of Cincinnati is turning grass clippings into a renewable source of bioplastic for sculptures and other artworks. Mrin Aggarwal, known professionally as Supermrin, developed the material by extracting cellulose fibers from discarded grass through a process of boiling, blending and washing. The resulting cellulose is converted […]
In the United Kingdom, Ponda, a company developing renewable insulation materials from broadleaf cattail, has raised €1.6 million (US$1.86 million) through a crowdfunding campaign, significantly exceeding its €230,000 target and attracting 256 new investors. Ponda will use the funds to expand cultivation of broadleaf cattail on restored wetlands, with the plants helping keep carbon stored […]
In Germany, healthcare company Schülke has launched a biodegradable disposable wash mitt developed in collaboration with Nitto, Indorama Ventures and Polymateria. The wash mitt, now available in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Spain, is primarily made from cellulose, with a nonwoven polypropylene layer accounting for about 24% of the material. The polypropylene incorporates Polymateria’s Biotransformation technology, […]
In the United Kingdom, Kelpi a company developing seaweed-based biomaterial coatings, has received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration’s for food contact applications. The approval allows Kelpi’s coating to be used on paper and board food packaging sold in the United States, in contact with all food types at or below room temperature, including […]
In London, personal care giant Unilever has deepened its ongoing partnership with Galaxy Surfactants, an India-based surfactants producer using both biobased and petrochemical-derived feedstocks. The Partnership Growth Charter “marks a milestone in a 45-year partnership and begins a new phase of co-invested and technology-led collaboration to deliver innovation, resilience, competitiveness and growth,” Unilever said in a […]
In California, a high school student has developed a process for turning food waste into absorbent paper towels, earning recognition at the International Science and Engineering Fair. Arnav Kodavati’s approach extracts cellulose fibers from discarded food and combines them with pectin, a naturally occurring plant-based polymer. The food scraps are first dried, ground and treated […]
In the United Kingdom, researchers at Imperial College London have developed a balloon that biodegrades in just nine months. Dubbed Bioloon, the balloon is made from natural latex blended with an undisclosed biodegradable polymer. The process eliminates the sulfur-based additives traditionally used to vulcanize latex. The technology was developed through a public-private partnership initiated by events […]
In Austria, cellulose-based fiber producer Lenzing has partnered with New Zealand’s Woolchemy to create a new Acquisition & Distribution Layer for hygiene products. Combining Lenzing’s fibers with Woolchemy’s wool-based nonwovens addresses a key performance challenge in disposable hygiene products: rapidly moving liquid away from the skin while maintaining dryness. The ADL rapidly captures and distributes […]
In Macau, design Zhixi Dai has created an eco-friendly packaging made out of compressed rosemary trimmings and seaweed-based extract as a natural binder. Dubbed Scentra, the rosemary waste is sourced from an organic farm in Guizhou, China, operated under Omni Biotech’s AOLUX line. It is used to package Aolux essential oils. In addition to cushioning the […]
In Japan, researchers at Kyushu University have developed a self-healing meat freshness indicator out of plant pigment anthocyanins. The pigment works by changing from purple-red to yellow-green as food spoilage raises pH levels. The researchers anchored the pigments to a UiO-66-NH₂ metal-organic framework to keep the pigment stable. The framework was then suspended into a biodegradable […]
