In Finland, biomaterials producer Stora Enso has advanced restructuring actions aimed at strengthening its long-term competitiveness and creating a “decentralized and more customer centric operating model.” Actions include approximately 1,150 job cuts, with about 710 negotiated so far, and closure of a pulp and paper unit at Sunila, Finland. The Sunila site has an annual […]
In Pennsylvania, a team of researchers has developed a biodegradable test for COVID-19 in the hopes of reducing the large amount of plastics waste associated with at-home testing. Developed in the lab of César de la Fuente, Presidential Assistant Professor in bioengineering, microbiology, and psychiatry at University of Pennsylvania, the test employs bacterial cellulose and […]
In Israel, cultivated chicken produced by SuperMeat has been granted kosher status by Orthodox Union Kosher, marking the first such certification for lab-grown meat. Jewish law forbids consuming any part of a living animal, and lab-grown meat is derived from the stem cells of living animals. However, SuperMeat’s poultry uses stem cells from eggs, which […]
In Barcelona, Manel Echevarria has taken the reins at Ananas Anam and plans to guide the vegan leather maker to new growth avenues in fashion, interior design, and automotive. Ananas Anam produces a leather alternative (Piñatex) and fiber (Piñayarn) from pineapple industry waste. The company has collaborated with Nike, Hugo Boss, H&M, Paul Smith, Ecoalf, […]
In Houston, process technology provider Lummus Technology and biotech firm RWDC Industries have signed a binding Joint Development and Commercial Cooperation Agreement to expand manufacturing and global licensing of polyhydroxyalkanoates bioplastics. RWDC uses plant-based oils, including post-consumer or waste cooking oils, to produce its proprietary Solon™ PHA, which can be organically recycled or composted in […]
In Manhattan, a branding expert whose resume includes big-name clients like Netflix and Apple claims to have come up with 400 new names for cultivated meat, a category that is struggling to find resonance with consumers. The long list comes as cultivated meat producers begin to submit their products for regulatory approval and begin to […]
In Turkey, fashion brand Orta is set to launch a fall and winter collection that includes denim dyed with Nature Coatings’ BioBlack TX. The 100% biobased black pigment replaces petrochemically produced carbon black. The partnership with Orta closely follows news that Nature Coatings had completed a $2.45 million seed round that included participation from A-list […]
In London, household name designer Calvin Klein is using fibers from pineapple and wood wastes in its debut trainer footwear. “The Sustainable Knit Trainer” features a knitted upper composed of Ananas Anam’s PIÑAYARN® blended with Lenzing’s TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers. Crafted through a low-impact manufacturing process, PIÑAYARN® harnesses the potential of pineapple leaf waste while employing […]
In Taiwan, PM Group has unveiled the world’s first cleanroom gloves made from biomass. Dubbed PVC PACER Bio-Mass Gloves, the vinyl gloves are already being produced using established production processes for cleanroom gloves. The inclusion of biomass makes production of PVC PACER Bio-Mass Gloves carbon neutral. Certifications for the gloves have already been received from […]
In Copenhagen, nonprofit incubator and life science research institute has added three companies developing biobased materials to its Venture Lab program. In addition to five biotherapeutics companies, the Venture Lab additions include Novozymes’ Venture, which is evaluating scale cell culture media ingredients for the cultivated meat industry; BioHalo, which developing biobased fluorinated polymers and high-performance […]
