In Bulgaria, a “sustainable edibles” startup aims to reduce the mountains of waste generated by takeaway cups of coffee. Dubbed Cupffee, the company has developed a material from oat bran, wheat flour, sugar and oil that will not leak and can be eaten once you’ve fulfilled your morning caffeine fix. “[Cupffee] remains crunchy for 40 […]
In Utah, ski and snowboard manufacturer WNDR Alpine has launched an activewear line made from algae. Called the Phase Series, the clothing comes after WNDR—a subsidiary of biotech firm Checkerspot—found success manufacturing skis and snowboards with cores made from AlgalTech®, Checkerspot’s proprietary microalgae-derived, high-performance material. The apparel is produced using miDori® bioWick WA, a wicking, […]
In New York, athleisure brand PANGAIA has expanded its collection of plant-based activewear using biobased spandex from Hyosung. Dubbed Motion, the collection is made with 99.99% plant-based EVO® Nylon and 30% plant-based creora® spandex produced by the South Korean chemicals company. For men, the collection include Mesh T-shirt, Zipped Long Sleeve Top and Tights in […]
In Finland, UPM Biochemicals and Selenis have partnered to produce partially biobased polyethylene terephthalate glycol resin, a highly transparent, FDA-approved bioplastic for applications in cosmetics and personal care packaging, heat shrink sleeves, and durable goods. Under the terms of the agreement, UPM will supply Selenis with biobased mono-ethylene glycol to produce partial BioPETG. Trade-named UPM […]
In Seattle, outdoor gear and apparel brand REI Co-op has released its first running shoe in more than 40 years. According to a press statement, all major components of the Swiftland MT are designed with carbon-reduced technology and use recycled or biobased materials. Renewable elements include a 10% Bloom Algae TerraLoft™ RUN compound in midsole […]
In California, the Digest announced that the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference on Next-Gen Projects & Technologies, ABLC NEXT 2023, will take place at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco, October 18-20, 2023, as the industry undertakes more Networking for Net Zero. More than 600 delegates and 100 speakers are expected from more than 400 companies […]
In London, Prince William recently toured an East London facility operated by bioplastic firm Notpla, which won his Earthshot competition in 2022. During the tour, the prince called the seaweed-based plastic maker’s progress since winning the £1 million award late last year “breathtaking,” reports UK paper The Standard. The newly titled Prince of Wales launched […]
In the United Kingdom, designer/photographer Zena Holloway has created a wedding dress out of wheatgrass root and is showcasing the garment at the Chelsea flower show in London. Holloway told The Guardian she was inspired to pursue sustainable design after witnessing the impact of plastics pollution while photographing the ocean. “I saw the growing amount […]
In Korea, Hyundai has showcased a 3D printed, 10-meter tall bioplastic tree that performs photosynthesis. Dubbed Tree One, the sculpture was manufactured by design studio EcoLogicStudio and exhibited at the automaker’s Busan and Seoul facilities. The sculpture employs an EcoLogicStudio-developed biopolymer made from algae biomass; chitin derived from mycelium, mushrooms or crustacean shells; agar derived […]
In Michigan, chemicals major Dow has secured biobased ethylene supply from New Energy Blue for production of renewable polyethylene. The PE will be used in applications such as transportation, footwear, and packaging. New Energy Blue’s ethylene is produced from corn crop waste, including stalks and leaves, and has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to […]
