In London, clothing brand Vollebak has partnered with Japan’s Spiber, a company using molecular engineering to create biomaterial similar to spider silk, to create a 2024 line that includes a sweater, beanie and scarf. The process begins with yeast, which is cultivated to produce a unique biofabric that mimics the properties of wool. Once the […]
In Japan, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is using DURABIO, a biobased engineering plastic from the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, for the colored bodywork and windshield of its X-ADV motorcycles sold in Japan. According to Honda, DURABIO provides the toughness and other features required for motorcycle bodywork parts, as well as a “glossy, sophisticated look” achieved by […]
In London, New Wave Biotech has raised €1.2 million (US$1.25 million) to boost staff levels and expand markets for its AI bioprocess simulation software. The company’s Bioprocess Foresight platform facilitates biomanufacturing development by simulating bioprocesses to predict quantified output, costs and sustainability impact. The program also improves as it learns from empirical data. According to […]
In France, specialty materials firm Arkema has achieved multiple mass balance ISCC PLUS certifications in the US, Europe, and Asia, with the sought-after sustainability credential covering numerous major coating technologies. Nine Arkema sites have been certified over the past 12 months, covering a complete range of bio-attributed solutions from upstream acrylic monomers to downstream specialty […]
In Michigan, Acme Mills Company has launched a line of biobased polylactic acid fabrics. Dubbed Natura, the fabrics can replace petroleum-based nonwovens such as polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and nylon without compromising performance. Crafted from renewable resources such as corn starch and sugarcane, the fabrics are biodegradable under industrial composting conditions. The Natura line includes spunbond […]
In Georgia, bioplastic maker Danimer Scientific has issued a super senior secured promissory note in an aggregate principal amount of $11,250,000 to certain lenders under its existing term loan financing agreement, as well as certain additional lenders. The secured loan provides for $11,250,000 gross proceeds, less fees and expenses, and has a two-year maturity accruing […]
In Paris, cultivated meat startup Gourmey has formed what it claims is the culinary industry’s first-ever advisory board dedicated to cultivated meat. The panel includes Michelin-starred chefs Claude Le Tohic from the United States, Rasmus Munk from Denmark, and Daniel Calvert from Japan. The chefs are set to collaborate with Gourmey on its flagship product, […]
In Israel, cell cultured cocoa startup Celleste Bio has raised $4.5 million in a seed funding round. The funds will boost the company’s research and development, infrastructure, and technological capabilities as it works to achieve commercial scale. According to vegconomist, Celleste Bio aims to create a sustainable supply of cacao though plant-cell cultivation and AI. […]
In Finland, researchers from VTT and Aalto University are applying origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, to the plastics waste crisis. Led by Jarmo Kouko, the group has created a machine that automates folding in ways that reinforce paperboard, allowing the biodegradable material to be used in delicate or complex packaging applications where […]
In Serbia, bark-based packaging startup Bpacks has raised €1 million (US$1.05 million) in pre-seed funding. According to Tech Funding News, the funds will help Bpacks establish a manufacturing facility in Spain by 2025, scale production of bark-based pellets, and enhance research and development capabilities in Belgrade. The company aims to expand into the U.S. market […]
