Author Archive: Rebecca Gendron

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Consumers want plant-based products, but more education needed

Consumers want plant-based products, but more education needed

December 14, 2020 |

In Washington, DC, a consumer survey by the Plant Based Products Council shows the majority of U.S. consumers are receptive to plant based products and packaging, with 54% viewing them favorably and 59% expressing interest. According to the report, the potential market size for plant-based products is estimated to be over 136 million U.S. consumers. […]

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Silk eyed as petrochemical replacement in soap

Silk eyed as petrochemical replacement in soap

December 14, 2020 |

In New York, researchers at Manhattan College and green chemistry startup Evolved by Nature have demonstrated that pure silk can act as a co-surfactant, making the renewable material a potential replacement for petrochemicals in soap formulations.  The research demonstrated that a natural silk protein produced by Evolved by Nature—trade-named Activated Silk™ 10S—synergized with capryl glucoside […]

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FIT Professor and fashion designers team up to produce lab-grown shoe

FIT Professor and fashion designers team up to produce lab-grown shoe

December 14, 2020 |

In New York, two designers and a Fashion Institute of Technology professor have essentially grown a sneaker in a lab.  The shoes are made from a leather-like material composed of nanofibers of cellulose assembled by bacteria. Other sneaker features include a cork sole, natural dyes—including a black dye made from rusty nails and acacia tree […]

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Singapore first to approve cultivated meat for sale

Singapore first to approve cultivated meat for sale

December 7, 2020 |

In Singapore, regulatory authorities have approved the sale of cell-based meat, becoming the first country to do so.  After extensive testing and review, The Singapore Food Agency has approved the sale of Eat Just’s cultured chicken nuggets. The Agency studied chicken samples from 20 production runs and found Eat Just proved its product met Singapore’s […]

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Hong Kong cell-based seafood firm raises $3.1 million

Hong Kong cell-based seafood firm raises $3.1 million

December 7, 2020 |

In Hong Kong, cultivated fish startup Avant Meats has raised $3.1 million for R&D and commercialization of its products, including Chinese delicacies fish maw and sea cucumber.  The company held its first taste test for maw, a species that has been fished to near-extinction, in November of last year, and has also previewed a cultivated […]

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Searching for intelligent life in 2020? 3D print a biodegradable Mars Rover right at home

Searching for intelligent life in 2020? 3D print a biodegradable Mars Rover right at home

December 7, 2020 |

In Paris, the European Space Agency has released the blueprint for at-home 3D printers to produce their own miniature Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover at home using bioplastic.  The ExoMy rover stands at 16 inches—scaled down from 78-inch tall version that will actually roam Mars beginning in 2023. It will take about two weeks for space […]

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Y Knot? Rope maker goes biobased

Y Knot? Rope maker goes biobased

December 7, 2020 |

In Germany, Gleistein Ropes has announced it will shift its ropes currently produced using DSM’s Dyneema-brand ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers to the biobased version of the UHMWPE material.  “These fibers possess exactly the same trusted strength and reliability of their conventionally sourced counterparts, yet contribute substantially to climate protection due to their renewable, bio-based raw material,” […]

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Whole Foods to introduce electric toothbrush heads made from cornstarch

Whole Foods to introduce electric toothbrush heads made from cornstarch

December 7, 2020 |

In Austin, Texas, organic grocer Whole Foods has launched a biodegradable electric toothbrush head made from cornstarch.  Dubbed Plus Ultra, the replacement heads will be available for the popular Philips Sonicare and Oral B electric toothbrushes this month and Spring 2021, respectively. They will be sold at 3,000-plus Whole Foods locations and online at LivePlusUltra.com […]

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Coffee waste face masks now available in Malaysia

Coffee waste face masks now available in Malaysia

December 7, 2020 |

In Malaysia, a shoe company and baby care brand have partnered to bring biodegradable face masks made of coffee waste to the local market. The masks are meant to serve as an eco-friendlier personal protective equipment option against the spread of COVID-19.  Local infant retailer Offspring, Inc will sell the reusable, three-layer masks for RM79 […]

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Biodegradable baby wipes: Gentle on skin, gentle on planet

Biodegradable baby wipes: Gentle on skin, gentle on planet

December 7, 2020 |

In the United Kingdom, baby care brand Huggies has introduced baby wipes that biodegrade after just 15 days under landfill conditions.  Huggies Pure Biodegradable wipes, made from natural fibers, are 100% plastic free and the brand’s first biodegradable product. They will be available at UK Asda and Morrison stores.   “We know this announcement will be […]

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