In Finland, interior design maker Woodio, which recently attracted interest in the design world for a wood composite toilet—has raised €16.2 million to fund its international expansion. The funding round was led by UB Forest Industry Green Growth Fund and the European Innovation Council. Previous investors also participated. Woodio uses aspen in chip form and […]
In Ontario, biobased chemicals producer Origin Materials has announced the startup of Origin 1, which is hailed as the world’s first commercial chloromethyl furfural plant. Using wood residues as feedstock, the Sarnia plant will supply intermediate chemicals and materials to various industries, including clothing, textiles, plastics, packaging, automotive parts, and tires. CMF can be used […]
In Germany, Modern Meadow and BASF have partnered to develop an animal-free material that looks, feels and naturally ages like traditional leather, suede, or chamois. The material, known as Bio-VERA™, has been engineered by Modern Meadow and incorporates BASF’s Ultramid® Ccycled® solution using post-consumer waste and bio-renewable technologies. The resulting material offers luxurious aesthetics and […]
In New York, International Flavors & Fragrances has introduced a technology platform that enables the development of biobased materials on a large scale and addresses growing demand for environmentally-friendly, high-performance biopolymers. Using The Designed Enzymatic Biomaterials technology allows scientists to integrate the functionalities of petroleum-based polymers directly into biopolymer materials and to customize and fine-tune […]
In Alabama, graphic design students at Auburn University have experimented with bioprinting living organisms such as baker’s yeast in a bid to raise awareness of climate change. The method, called mycography, involves growing organisms in a darkroom on agar plates. The use of UV light helped the students “draw” the three-part series, which is called […]
In Indiana, Liberation Labs has officially broken ground on its inaugural precision fermentation biomanufacturing facility. Sited in Richmond, the facility boasts capacity of 600,000 liters and a fully dedicated downstream process. It is capable of producing biobased proteins and other essential building-block ingredients. “This is a momentous occasion not only for Liberation Labs but for […]
In Los Angeles, Omeat has exited stealth mode and officially joined the race to deliver cultivated meat. The company’s process uses regenerative factors extracted from healthy, happy cows to create growth media, which is a primary cost driver and technological hurdle for cultivated meat production. The company sources its growth media “starter” from a herd […]
In Philadelphia, Xtellar, a leader in 3D printing materials, has unveiled biobased ethylene vinyl acetate pellets suitable for large-format 3D printing. Introduced at RAPID + TCT 2023, Xtellar’s EVA pellets offer sustainability and flexibility for various pellet-compatible printers compatible. The biobased EVA pellets are derived from sugarcane and are clear, hygroscopic, and elastomeric. The Xtellar […]
In Delaware, Covation Biomaterials and Oscar Chandler & Co. Inc. have partnered on a sustainable alternative for the knitting industry made by treating CovationBio’s Sorona biobased polymer with a specialized dyeing process. The resulting material provides two-way and four-way stretch in applications such as socks, sweaters, and tape fabrics as well as a sustainable alternative […]
In Japan, Pangaia, Goldwin, and Spiber have partnered to create a global circularity solution to convert end-use textiles and agricultural byproducts into new materials. This collaboration is part of Spiber’s “biosphere circulation” program, which focuses on utilizing microbial fermentation and novel protein materials to upcycle discarded apparel and textiles. The ultimate goal is to ensure […]
