Scottish entrepreneur finds plant-based inspiration in Africa

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In Scotland, entrepreneur John Ferguson is gaining traction for his thermal insulation made from sisal, a plant found in east Africa.

Ferguson says his company, Sisaltech, expects six-figure sales in 2020 for the biodegradable product.  He got the idea for sisal-based insulation while working in Malawi, teaching farmers methods to adjust to climate change.

“Having worked with small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa I felt motivated to start an ethical business that would help them trade their way out of poverty,” he tells The Scotsman.  “As we experimented and started prototyping I was really excited to discover that sisal can be used to make a great insulation product, particularly when blending with other recycled textile fibers.”

Even with shipping from Africa, Sisaltech’s insulation has a better carbon footprint than incumbents, he adds.