In Arizona, leading tire manufacturer Bridgestone has been awarded a Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute grant to advance development of natural rubber from guayule, a desert shrub. Bridgestone is targeting 100% renewable materials by 2050 and hopes to begin commercializing guayule rubber by the end of the decade. The Japanese company has been researching […]
In California, Leonardo DiCaprio has invested in the $45-million debut fund of Regeneration.VC, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on climate and sustainability. Co-led by former ice cream exec Dan Fishman and DJ/real estate tycoon Michael Smith, the fund looks to fund startups developing products for the circular economy and regenerative materials. It estimates the […]
In Hollywood, California, three celebrities walked the red carpet for the 94th Academy Awards in gowns made of Lenzing’s TENCEL wood-based fibers, highlighting the potential for more sustainable materials at the highest levels of fashion. Tati Gabrielle, star of Uncharted, You, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, wore a custom HELLESSY off-shoulder cape gown made from […]
In New York, fashion designer Tom Ford has announced the finalists for the Ocean-Safe Alternatives Competition’s Plastic Innovation Prize. The eight finalists include three companies—Kelpi, Sway and Zerocycle—converting seaweed into bioplastics or plastic alternatives, as well as Genecis, a startup specializing in reprogramming bacteria to create reusable materials; Marea, an Icelandic start-up converting algae into […]
Cultivated meat startup Primeval Foods is planning tasting events in New York and London for its lab-grown lion, tiger and zebra meat. Based in the United Kingdom, the company focuses on growing exotic meats people would otherwise not get to consume. “We are currently working in the Siberian tiger, leopard, black panther, Bengal tiger, white […]
In Texas, snack giant Frito-Lay has introduced 100% biobased packaging that is industrially compostable and—unlike its first foray into renewable packaging—quiet. Developed in partnership with Printpack, the bags are made of non-food, plant-based materials with newly developed compostable inks. A QR code directs consumers on locating composting drop-off sites or how to obtain a prepaid […]
In Texas, department store Neiman Marcus—one of the one’s largest fur sellers—is phasing out the high-end material in favor of slaughter-free alternatives. The company expects to stop selling fur entirely by March 2023. CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck recently told Vogue Business that Neiman Marcus’s fur operations are “a small but real part of our business […]
In Berlin, startup Vyld has closed a pre-seed fund raise to scale up production of tampons made from seaweed. “Algae are already used in over 70% of all processed foods due to their many beneficial features,” says Vyld founder Ines Schiller. “We want to use these amazing unique advantages for period products where they will […]
In California, new sustainable footwear brand Blueview has launched what it claims to be the world’s first biodegradable shoe. Dubbed Blueview Pacific and retailing for $135, the sneaker features Soleic renewable polyurethane foam for arch support, cupsole, and outsole and PlantKnit, the world’s first plant-based and fully biodegradable machine knitted shoe upper. A canvas strap […]
In Brazil, Braskem and Sojitz Corporation have partnered to produce biobased monoethylene glycol and monopropylene glycol. Subject to the conclusion of technology development in 2022, the business plan includes the construction of three industrial units, with the startup of the first plant in 2025. The joint venture will combine Braskem’s expertise in the industrial production […]
