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 […]
In Amsterdam, Caffe Inc. is building a $4.4 million refinery to convert used coffee grounds into oils that can be used in personal care products like creams and shampoos, blocks that can be used in construction, and colorants for multiple commercial uses. Once operational, cofounders Josephine Nijstad and Evaluna Marquez expect the operations to reduce […]
In Boston, a startup pursuing whole-cut meats from plants has raised $12 million with participation from actress Natalie Portman. Formerly named Boston Meats, the company uses technology licensed from Harvard University to spin plant proteins into faux meat that resembles muscle cuts. To date, it has developed beef steaks, pulled pork and chicken breast. The […]
In San Francisco, precision fermentation firm The EVERY Co. has unveiled animal-free egg whites and will soon prove their alternative’s “whipping and gelling” properties versus regular eggs via a partnership with a noted macaron maker. According to The EVERY Co., EVERY EggWhite has the same height, foam stability, aeration and texture. Chantal Guillon, a San […]
In San Francisco, bee-free honey startup MeliBio has raised $7.5 million to scale and commercialize its technology. The company uses precision fermentation and plant science to manufacture honey. “We know that science can produce delicious and nutritious honey, which is molecularly identical to traditional honey, at no cost to our precious bees,” says honey industry […]
In Israel, a group of rabbis has said cheeseburgers made from lab-grown meat is kosher, having determined that the nascent technology does not constitute real meat. Kosher rules ordinarily prohibits the pairing of any meat and dairy product. World Israel News reports that it was determined that products based on cows’ pre-embryonic cells and grown […]
In India, this year’s Holi celebrations were as colorful as ever, but at the same time greener, thanks to Phool.co. The Kampur-based startup is converting floral waste into the vibrant gulaal powders festival-goers toss about during the festival to celebrate the arrival of spring. “Generally, gulaal is made using asbestos even glass all those chemical […]
