In Japan, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Oriental Petrochemical (Taiwan) Co., Ltd., and Marubeni Corporation have partnered to establish a supply chain for biobased purified terephthalic acid. The collaborators hope to use the PTA to produce biobased polyethylene terephthalate, with the first plant starting up in Tawan later this year. Under the terms of the agreement, […]
In Japan, bag and accessory maker Yoshida is using a biobased fiber produced by Toray Industries in its latest line of Tanker bags, which are set for launch in Spring 2024. The fiber—dubbed Ecodear 510—is made from sebacic acid and pentamethylenediamine made from feedstocks castor oil and corn, respectively. Ecodear N510 exhibits heat resistance as […]
In Japan, alternative protein startups Umami United and IntegriCulture have received government funds to help advance product development and scale-up. Tokyo-based Umami, which produces an egg alternative from konjac flour, bittern and wood-eared mushrooms, received $6.5 million. Company CEO Hiroto Yamazaki recently told Green Queen that Umami was in talks with plant-based food makers in […]
In New Jersey, the former owner of a deli at the center of a bizarre $100-million securities fraud scheme has pled guilty to federal charges. James Patten was one of three owners of a public company behind Your Hometown Deli, which went viral in 2021 for its $100-million valuation despite sales of less than $30,000. […]
In New York, winners of PETA’s inaugural Fashion Awards include celebrities who champion vegan leathers and trail-blazing brands working to make fashion kinder to animals and the planet. Stella McCartney earned Best Vegan Heel for its “showstopping” Ryder Knee-High Stiletto Boots popularized by Taylor Swift. The boot is made from the brand’s Alter Mat […]
In Dubai, sustainable fashion pioneer Stella McCartney used the COP28 climate talks to draw attention to policy roadblocks to widespread use of environmentally friendly materials in fashion—namely, taxes that are incurred by vegan leather items. McCartney, which uses alternative leathers made from biobased materials like grape waste and mushrooms, said in a speech at the […]
In Australia, architecture studio Fraser & Partners has unveiled a design for the world’s tallest hybrid timber residential development. At nearly 190 meters tall, Fraser & Partners said the Perth tower, called C6, will set a “new benchmark in height for mass timber.” C6 will edge out height ambitions for planned hybrid towers in Sydney […]
In Hong Kong, chemical maker LyondellBasell and baby care products leader Pigeon Singapore have announced a collaboration in sustainable baby nursing bottles. The partnership will incorporate LyondellBasell’s biobased CirculenRenew polypropylene polymers into Pigeon’s revamped series of nursing bottles, marking a pivotal shift away from traditional 100% virgin PP resins. CirculenRenew polymers, utilized in the cap, […]
In Scotland, researchers at St. Andrews University have found that cocoa pod husks—an abundant waste product of chocolate and other industries—could be used to make more sustainable flame retardants. Led by chemistry and chemical biology professor Dr. Nicholas Westwood, the study found that processed lignin from cocoa pod husks could enhance the already high flame-smothering […]
In the Netherlands, a seaweed-based plastic that is best known for winning Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize in 2022 has been named the first—and only—plastic-free material by the European Union. The designation was awarded after a nearly year-long verification process by the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive and exempts the material from the Netherlands’ 25-cent tax […]
