August 15 on the calendar marks the Feast of the Assumption. But in the bioeconomy, we’re forever caught in what I’d call the Feast of the Assumptions. Assumptions that persistence will eventually pay off.Assumptions that subsidies will close the cost gap.Assumptions that CO₂ isn’t waste but feedstock.Assumptions that this partnership will be the one that […]
In Nevada, jeans giant Levi’s has boosted the use Nature Coating’s BioBlack in its denim manufacturing. Nature Coatings, which converts wood waste into high performing black pigments, said Levi’s was among the earliest adopters of BioBlack in 2023 with the launch of its sustainable Wellthreads line. “Levi’s early belief and implementation of BioBlack was pivotal […]
In London, scientists from King’s College have found that keratin extracted from human hair creates a protective coating similar to tooth enamel when it comes into contact with minerals in saliva. They theorize that their findings could yield a tooth-repairing toothpaste within two years. “Keratin offers a transformative alternative to current dental treatments,” said Sara […]
In North Carolina, researchers at Cultivated Biomaterials have created jewelry from leather grown in the lab from cells sourced from Angel, the cow. They claim it is the world’s first lab-grown jewelry, which they have dubbed Angelry. Cultivated Biomaterials uses a tissue engineering approach inspired by MIT’s Prof. Robert Langer. “Our process stands apart by […]
In India, a Gen Z entrepreneur is converting India’s copious amount of tomato waste into a renewable alternative to animal leather. Just 26 years old, Pritesh Mistry created Bioleather as his final year for Thadomal Shahani Engineering College’s biotechnology program. He has since founded The Bio Company to commercialize the material. He chose tomato waste […]
In South Dakota, researchers at South Dakota State University have collaborated with a grapevine expert to develop a biobased plastic film out of grape waste. Led by SDSU Associate Professor Srinivas Janaswamy, the team found that cellulose films made from SDSU research vineyard canes – the woody stems of a grapevine that grow during the […]
In Iowa, BioMADE announced its plans to establish and operate a new pilot-scale bioindustrial manufacturing facility near Ames. The 15,000 sq. ft. multi-user facility will include up to 10,000-liter industrial fermenters, dry and wet lab space, and downstream processing capabilities centered around the development of agricultural bioproducts, chemicals, and food. At a total project value […]
In Finland, Stora Enso has brought Europe’s most modern consumer packaging board production line online in Oulu. The new, €1.1-billion line will serve the growing demand for renewable packaging globally and contributes to the transition to a circular bioeconomy. The mill produces folding boxboard, kraftliners, paper bag material, and unbleached softwood pulp. Board materials are […]
In Illinois, CO2 electrolysis and conversion firm OCOchem has partnered with agribusiness giant ADM to build a field demonstration plant using OCOchem’s Carbon FluX Electrolyzer technology. The plant will be co-located within ADM’s corn processing complex in Decatur, Illinois and will convert biogenic CO2 from ADM’s ethanol production stream to formate molecules, which can be […]
In the UK, Central Saint Martins graduate Noé Chouraqui has created Point, a 3D-printed tennis ball made from biobased and recyclable materials. Conventional tennis balls contain synthetic rubber and take up to 400 years to break down in the environment. According to Chouraqui, over 300 million tennis balls are produced annually. Most end up in […]
