In Colombia, a disposable tableware company is creating life out of waste by selling plantable plates with embedded seeds. More specifically, Lifepack is producing plates made from pineapple waste that can be added to soil and grow into pineapple plants. “We are using agricultural residues that people were just throwing away, and we are transforming […]
In the US, edible straw maker SORBOS has landed its first restaurant franchise deal. Tropical Smoothie Café will use the straws for a limited time, beginning November 11. The 100% flavored and biodegradable plastic straw alternative is made of sugar, water, cornstarch and gelatine and stays rigid for 40 minutes in cold and frozen […]
In Italy, design firm Carlo Ratti Associati has created an ecofriendly pen complete with compostable materials and edible ink. The pen, developed for tech company Scribit, has a barrel made from wood, recycled aluminum, or biodegradable PHB plastic. The nib and ink cartridges are made from natural fibers, while the ink is water-based with organic […]
In Boston, a team of Northeastern researchers have developed single-use tableware from bamboo and sugar waste that biodegrades in just 60 days. Hongli Zhu, an assistant professor at Northeastern University, tells Fast Company she wanted to pursue biodegradable products after coming to the United States in 2007 and seeing how much single-use plastic waste was […]
In India, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur have converted cucumber peels into cellulose nanocrystals with the potential to be used in food packaging. Prof. Jayeeta Mitra and N. Sai Prasanna tell EET India that their high-cellulose material overcomes the strength, elongation, and barrier and optical property shortfalls of other biopolymers. “Our […]
In the United Kingdom, a short-lived sportscar whose cost of design was the death knell for its maker more than 60 years ago is being resurrected as an electric vehicle with renewable components. According to the Robb Report, minor automaker Berkeley Cars had expected the Bandit to turn it into a household sportscar name, but […]
In California, newly launched skis with an algae-based core are getting rave performance reviews among avid shredders. The 4FRONT line of skis, made by WNDR Alpine using Algal-Tech material manufactured by Checkerspot, include backcountry ski Intention 100 and Vital 100 for traditional resort skiing. The Algal-Tech core is designed to be lightweight while improving stiffness […]
In New York, startup Thousand Fell has stepped into the eco-friendly sneaker fray with a 100% recyclable shoe that boasts numerous renewable components, including aloe vera, coconut husks, sugarcane and palm leaf fibers. A biobased resin for corn waste is used as coating, and the foam cushion is made from castor bean oil. Other materials […]
In the Netherlands, designer Marek Głogowski is advocating for humans to eat more sustainably by adding more bacteria-based foods to their diets. Głogowski, a recent graduate of Design Academy Eindhoven, has opened a “metabolized restaurant” concept in which all food was produced using bacteria either via fermentation or culture. According to Fast Company, the menu […]
In Israel, lab-grown chicken startup SuperMeat has launched a restaurant adjacent to its pilot plant where “customers” can pay for their meal with reviews of their “chicken.” Dubbed The Chicken, the restaurant’s ambience includes views of SuperMeat’s lab through a glass window, while the menu features the Chicken Burger, complete with a brioche bun and […]
