In Finland, LUT University has launched the BIOPROT project to develop face masks that are renewable, biodegradable, and antimicrobial. The goal is to protect humans from COVID-19 while also reducing the mountain of waste generated by the surge in demand for personal protective equipment created by the pandemic. The ambitious project aims to produce enough […]
In South Carolina, sustainable yoga mat producer Yoloha is using biobased thermoplastic elastomers produced by Swedish plastics compounder Hexpol. The customized material has 55% biobased content, high melt strength, and the cushioning needed for both long asanas and intense sun salutations. “I have worked with and tested most foams on the market from Natural […]
In Las Vegas, tennis superstar Venus Williams and boxed bedmaker GhostBed are debuting a line of mattresses at the upcoming Winter Las Vegas Market meeting. The mattresses feature a soy-based foam layer as well as a far infrared technology layer, dubbed Venus FIT, that absorbs body temperature for a cooling effect that also increases blood […]
In Slovakia, German specialty chemical company Evonik Industries is planning to build the world’s first industrial-scale plant for rhamnolipids, which are used as biosurfactants in shower gels and detergents. The “three-digit-million euro” investment at Slovenská Ľupča supports a strategic partnership between Evonik and consumer goods giant Unilever that was announced in 2019. Unilever has set […]
In San Francisco, mycelium materials firm MycoWorks has raised $125 million in a series C financing, which it will use to expand production of leather alternatives for the fashion industry. The company says it will build a plant in Union County, South Carolina, having validated the scalability of its Fine Mycelium process at a pilot […]
In Germany, researchers are testing whether 3D-printed skin cells could work for wound care on long space voyages. The German Space Agency’s Bioprint FirstAid Handheld Bioprinter combines astronaut cells and biobased ink to create a plaster-like covering that can be applied directly to wounds. The device, which is small and manual, was included on […]
In India, The Vazhakkulam Agro and Fruit Processing Company will soon begin producing cutlery and plates from pineapple leaves. A joint venture owned by Kerala state and pineapple farmers, VAFPC has received ₹2.55 crore (US$343,000) from the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, a government scheme for developing India’s agricultural industries, for the project. Indian Institute of […]
In Switzerland, provocative installation artist Christoph Büchel will convert his unsold work and DNA extracted from his own feces into lab-grown diamonds. The ongoing performance piece, dubbed The Diamond Maker – the Estate, will last for the rest of his life, and Büchel expects to make 150 such diamonds in 2022. A Swiss lab will […]
In Switzerland, recent ECAL design school grad Souhaïb Ghanmi had a particularly unusual final project proposal: repurposing bones from the animal processing industry into home electrical sockets and light switches. Called Ecol, Ghanmi says the goal is to limit waste, not generate controversy. “[Bone is as] strong as a stone but easy to carve, like […]
In Germany, the new electronic concept car from Mercedes is jam-packed with biobased materials, including seat cushions made from mushrooms and a leather alternative made from cactus. Dubbed EQXX, other renewable elements include bamboo fiber carpets. The luxury car brand also says the EQXX can do 620 miles on a charge—much farther than any other […]
