Author Archive: Rebecca Gendron

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Pass the butter! Shiok showcases lab-grown lobster

Pass the butter! Shiok showcases lab-grown lobster

November 23, 2020 |

In Singapore, Shiok Meats has unveiled the world’s first lab-grown lobster meat. In a private tasting showcase, Chef José Luis Del Amo of TheTasteLab served lobster tomato, leek, red pepper and cucumber gazpacho and lobster terrine as well as lobster meat and mayonnaise on a crostini.   “The taste is wonderful – to really get a […]

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Edible bug grants now available in Europe

Edible bug grants now available in Europe

November 23, 2020 |

In Northwest Europe, companies looking to develop insect-based foods can apply for grants. The European ValuSect (Valuable Insects) consortium is offering forty grants, worth €10,000 ($11,800), €20,000 ($23,600) or €40,000 ($47,300) in service vouchers, over three years, starting December 1.  “Consumers’ appetite for insects in Europe is slowly positively evolving, as there is more and […]

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No dummies here: Renewable mannequins debut in Seoul

No dummies here: Renewable mannequins debut in Seoul

November 23, 2020 |

In South Korea, the sportswear brand of chemical and textile giant Kolon Industries has developed renewable and biodegradable mannequins for its showrooms.  Most mannequins are made of fiber-reinforced plastic, but are still replaced frequently due to wear and tear.  Kolon’s are constructed from sawdust and an “eco-friendly” adhesive free from chemical hardeners.   The new […]

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Mushroom leather firm raises $45 million, investors include A-listers Natalie Portman and John Legend

Mushroom leather firm raises $45 million, investors include A-listers Natalie Portman and John Legend

November 23, 2020 |

In San Francisco, mycelium materials firm MycoWorks has raised $45 million in a series B financing that it will use to boost capacity for its Reishi vegan leather amid interest from luxury fashion and footwear brands.  The financing was led by WTT Investment Ltd. (Taipei, Taiwan) and DCVC Bio, with major participation from new investors […]

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Pricey Italian kicks feature materials made from goat skin, old carpets

Pricey Italian kicks feature materials made from goat skin, old carpets

November 23, 2020 |

In Italy, luxe apparel brand Premiata has entered the sustainable shoe fray with a sneaker that “explores mythology and our relationship with nature.”  Dubbed John Low , the shoe is 80% made from renewable or recycled materials such as goatskin, old carpets, and production scraps.  The mythology angle comes from the company’s efforts to better […]

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Turmeric root eyed as natural bioplastics dye

Turmeric root eyed as natural bioplastics dye

November 23, 2020 |

In Europe, a multi-country collaboration is looking to replace synthetic dyes in bioplastics with non-toxic alternatives made from turmeric. The Interreg Northwest Europe project CurCol includes partners from research labs in Ireland, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands and is looking to develop biodegradable yellow  pigments based on curcuma, or turmeric root. Curcumin is found mostly […]

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Braskem, Haldor Topsoe produce biobased MEG

Braskem, Haldor Topsoe produce biobased MEG

November 23, 2020 |

In Denmark, Braskem and Haldor Topsoe have begun producing monoethylene glycol—a precursor to widely used bottle plastic polyethylene terephthalate—from sugar at demonstration-scale.  Using the jointly developed MOSAIK technology, the Lyngby  plant will help the companies provide samples to strategic partners for testing and validation and evaluate process economics before deciding whether to proceed to commercial scale.  […]

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Seeing the field: NFL star Tom Brady links with biodegradable eyewear company

Seeing the field: NFL star Tom Brady links with biodegradable eyewear company

November 16, 2020 |

In New York, “premium, timeless, and elegant eyewear” brand Christpher Cloos has tapped equally timeless NFL star Tom Brady to promote its line of 100% biodegradable eyeglasses.  The second Cloos x Brady collection, to be launched in Spring 2021, is made from Italian M49 acetate, a 100% recyclable and biodegradable product made from sustainable wood, […]

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Time for the steak harvest? Molecular farming looks to produce animal proteins in plants

Time for the steak harvest? Molecular farming looks to produce animal proteins in plants

November 16, 2020 |

In the United Kingdom, Moolec Science is looking to “molecular farm” by coaxing crops to create animal proteins. The company believes that by leveraging the scale of agriculture, the company can create meat more effectively than emerging cultured meat processes.  “Molecular farming is not yet a fully explored technology in the alternative protein space,” says  […]

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Seed-spreading firecrackers launched for Diwali

Seed-spreading firecrackers launched for Diwali

November 16, 2020 |

In India, a push for eco-friendly firecrackers for the Hindu Diwali celebration has led one pyrotechnics company to develop firecrackers that have the potential to grow plants after the festival has ended. Vadivel Pyrotechs Private Limited says the Seedstar Firecrackers are made from vermicompost-treated paper, clay and heat-resistant seeds.  After the firecracker is spent, the […]

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