In the United Kingdom, scientists at Cambridge University have developed biodegradable glitter made from nanocrystals of cellulose extracted from fruit waste. The sustainable sparkle solution can be used in any application that currently uses glitter, such as cosmetics and crafts, but is free of microplastics and metals that make conventional glitter bad for the environment. […]
In France, an entrepreneurial couple is repurposing mangos and bananas to produce a slaughter-free leather alternative. Loïc Debrabander and Anaëlle Picavet launched VegSkin because of a lack of sustainable leathers, telling the publication 20 minutes that while animal-free leather does exist, it is often made from polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride—both of which come from petroleum feedstocks. “We were looking for […]
In India, The Vazhakkulam Agro and Fruit Processing Company will soon begin producing cutlery and plates from pineapple leaves. A joint venture owned by Kerala state and pineapple farmers, VAFPC has received ₹2.55 crore (US$343,000) from the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, a government scheme for developing India’s agricultural industries, for the project. Indian Institute of […]
In Switzerland, a research group has developed an edible, plant-based coating for produce, which a major supermarket chain in the country will soon begin testing. Empa developed the coating at its Cellulose & Wood Materials Library by converting pomace—what is left after juice is extracted from fruits and vegetables—into a cellulose fiber that can be […]
Big name shoe and apparel companies like Nike, Pangaia and Old Navy are on a sustainability roll. News from Nike on their work with Newlight Technologies for wearables that actually sequester carbon, Pangaia’s addition of two new biobased fabrics to its collection made from pineapple and banana leaf waste and nettles, eucalyptus and seaweed, and […]
It’s Christmas morning for many and biobased Barbies are on the horizon with Mattel’s promise to use only recycled, recyclable, or renewable plastics in all products by 2030, starting with the Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack made from sugarcane plastics. And soon you can write letters to Santa on paper made from waste pineapple leaves while munching on […]
In India, banana has become the latest fruit to be turned into vegan leather. Dubbed Banofi, the material was developed by Kolkata’s Atma Leather using upcycled banana crop waste as feedstock. India is one of the world’s largest producers of bananas, a crop that generates four tons of waste for every ton of edible fruit. […]
In Kentucky, mushrooms and distilleries have quite a bit in common thanks to students at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. With funding from the UK Office of Sustainability, a group in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, and the Department of Horticulture, is looking for ways to raise fungi using spent grains from local distilleries. UK sits in the heart of bourbon country, so spent grains are quite prevalent. While other uses, such […]
In Denmark, fashion designer Ganni has designed a track suit collection using fabric made from banana waste. The line includes grey jogging bottoms, a crop top, and a cropped hoodie made from organic cotton and Element 2 fabric. Produced by Spain’s Pyratex, Element 2 forms part of Ganni’s Fabrics of the Future initiative, which looks […]
In Margate, UK, designer Carly Breame has converted the leftover fish bones, potato peels and oyster shells from one of the seaside town’s local fish and chip shops into plates. A recent graduate of Central Saint Martins’ Material Futures master’s program, Breame calls the hyperlocal ceramics Off the Menu. The material is sourced from Angela’s […]
