In Paris, lab-growth leather startup Faircraft has raised $15.8 million to expand its workforce and accelerate scaling of its tissue engineering production process. The company specializes in creating lab-grown leather from animal skin cells, replicating the structure and composition of traditional leather through advanced cellular agriculture processes. “This technological breakthrough goes beyond fashion, using cutting-edge […]
In the Netherlands, biobased chemicals company Avantium has announced an expanded partnership with SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited to pilot the production of polylactic-co-glycolic acid as a polyester alternative. Using Avantium’s Volta Technology, which converts CO2 into high-value products such as glycolic acid, the partnership aims to produce PLGA using existing manufacturing assets. PLGA is […]
In California, biobased venture studio Ferment has launched a $20 million fund aimed at accelerating biotech solutions across vital industries such as energy, agriculture, materials, and health. The fund’s inaugural investment is a $2.5 million stake in Alchemyca, an innovative company leveraging enzymes, sensors, and AI to enhance the conversion of organic waste into renewable […]
In South Carolina, Milliken & Company has announced a strategic investment and partnership with Tidal Vision, a biomolecular technologies firm converting chitosan—a biodegradable compound found in shellfish shells—into high-performance chemistries for various applications, including water treatment and agriculture. Financial terms were not disclosed. “Our partnership with Tidal Vision is a natural fit, as their innovative […]
In London, animal advocacy group World Animal Protection has partnered with AI software company PubTrawlr to unveil Cultivator, the first-ever chatbot dedicated to cultivated meat. The tool aims to provide consumers with easy access to information about cultivated meat. The Cultivator is designed to raise awareness and acceptance of cultivated meat by answering questions and […]
In Idaho, sustainable building materials firm Hempitecture has been awarded $8.42 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda. The funds will facilitate an industrial hemp fiber processing and manufacturing facility in northeast Tennessee, aimed at producing high-performing, carbon-reducing products for the building materials, packaging, and […]
In Massachusetts, CJ Biomaterials, a division of South Korea’s CJ CheilJedang, has received certification from the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) for its range of PHACT™ polyhydroxyalkanoate masterbatches and compounds. The certification confirms that PHACT products meet rigorous ASTM standards for compostability, paving the way for the development of environmentally friendly items such as straws, cutlery, […]
In Texas, Sasol Chemicals has launched NACOL 18-98, a palm oil-free, biobased stearyl alcohol solution designed for the personal care industry. NACOL 18-98 is made from segregated rapeseed oil, a renewable resource sourced locally in Europe. It has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to palm oil-based alternatives addresses concerns surrounding deforestation and the environmental […]
In Singapore, PCS Pte. Ltd. will use renewable feedstocks supplied by Neste Corporation to produce chemicals for customers in Southeast Asia. Under the terms of the deal, Neste will provide PCS with Neste RE™, a renewable material derived from waste sources, such as used cooking oil and residues from vegetable oil processing. PCS will use […]
In Tokyo, designer Hiroto Ikebe is exhibiting clothing made from rewoven silk cocoon waste at the DESIGNART Tokyo event. Though not used for mass production, Ikebe intends for the COCOON ANATOMY exhibit to show that silk industry waste can be repurposed into a usable, leather-like textile. The waste material specifically included raw, unprocessed silk; kibiso, […]
