In Japan, Kering, the French multinational behind Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen have joined a circular textile initiative launched by protein fermentation firm Spiber. The biosphere circulation project aims to regenerate biobased and biodegradable textile and agricultural waste using Spiber’s technology. The product, called Brewed Protein, can be used as substitutes for […]
In Slovakia, Evonik has manufactured the first volumes at its Slovenská Ľupča biobased rhamnolipids plant. The triple-digit million-euro facility will meet high demand for biobased and biodegradable surfactants for cleaning and personal care applications. It will also support an agreement with Unilever, which aims to phase out the use of ingredients based on fossil fuels […]
In Bassens, France, Michelin, IFPEN and Axens have inaugurated the first industrial-scale demonstration plant for production of bio-based butadiene. Located at a Michelin facility, the plant was built within the framework of the BioButterfly project and was supported by the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management. The BioButterfly project aims to develop and commercialize […]
In Israel, regulators have been the first to approve cultivated beef for human consumption. Aleph Farms says that, after a rigorous review, the Israel’s Ministry of Health has issued a “No Questions” letter for its Aleph Cut cultivated beef. To date, only a handful of approvals have been achieved globally, and all were for cultivated […]
In Amsterdam, Avantium N.V. has announced that Helios Resins, a Slovenia-based producer of advanced coating and composite resins, has signed a capacity reservation agreement for furandicarboxylic acid developed by Avantium. Helios Resins intends to purchase FDCA from a future industrial-scale facility, based on a license of Avantium’s YXY® Technology. Avantium is set to begin production […]
In South Korea, LG Chem and Eni subsidiary Enilive have signed a joint venture agreement for a new biorefinery at Daesan. The two first announced that they were evaluating a biorefinery project in September last year, and formation of a JV is the next step toward a final investment decision. The facility would process about […]
In Tokyo, watchmaker Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is celebrating the 50th anniversary of HELLO KITTY, the iconic and adorable character created by Sanrio, with a commemorative watch and biobased watchband. Further details of the watchband material were not disclosed, but the company has used castor seed and corn feedstocks in the past. The new watch […]
In Nigeria, soccer star William Troost-Ekong sported biobased cleats in the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations. Made by the United Kingdom’s Sokito, the match against Equatorial Guinea was the first time vegan cleats made from corn waste, sugarcane and bamboo have been worn in international competition. Dubbed Scudetta, the cleats will be […]
In London, minimalist, “barefoot-style” shoe brand Vivobarefoot has unveiled a compostable sneaker prototype that is 3D printed using a biobased thermoplastic. The company told design publication dezeen the shoe is a “scan-to-print-to-soil” solution to the waste associated with sneaker production. Customers simply scan their feet with a smartphone, after which Vivobarefoot 3D-prints a bespoke sneaker. […]
In Spain, leading automaker Ford is expanding its slate of biobased materials used in car parts to olive tree waste such as branches and leaves. The work is part of the COMPOlive project, which is working to find alternative uses for Andalusia’s olive grove waste. The region is one of the largest olive-growing regions in […]
