In San Francisco, green sneaker pioneer and household name Allbirds has closed a $100-million financing, which it will use to enter new product categories, amp up sustainable material innovation, support international growth, and add brick-and-mortar stores. “Business can be a force for positive change, and this additional capital will allow us to further our mission […]
It’s all about food and lots of steak this week as we look at the Top 8 Innovations including Faux pas-free foie gras firm nabbing a government grant in Japan to build a commercial bioreactor facility to produce cultured serum for cosmetics and cultured steak and other meats. And 3D printed steak startup Meat-Tech 3D […]
In Brooklyn, New York, an up-and-coming sneaker brand is beta-testing sneakers made almost entirely from plants. Designed by Dave Costello and Micah Heftman, the Kengos Lace-up boasts 98% plant-based content thanks to an upper made from corn-based, breathable fabric Amaize; an upper body made from eucalyptus fabric that temperature regulates and absorbs sweat; a midsole […]
The race for biobased innovations is on! But first, take a seat like Formula One racing major McLaren is doing – on lightweight flax fiber composite seats which provide the requisite strength and low weight for a race car while creating 75% less carbon dioxide to make. While your at it, put on a cool […]
News arrives from Sao Paulo and Rome that GranBio and NextChem have inked a strategic alliance and will co-license GranBio’s patented technology for the production of second-generation ethanol. NextChem is a subsidiary of Italian engineering giant Maire Tecnimont dedicated to the energy transition. The news follows the announcement last week that GranBio has retained Citigroup […]
In Tennessee, Eastman, the maker of Naia cellulosic filament yarn, which is responsibly sourced from sustainably managed pine and eucalyptus forests and plantations, has expanded its Naia fiber portfolio. Naia blends well with other eco-friendly materials, such as lyocell, modal and recycled polyester, according to Eastman. Produced in a safe, closed-loop process where solvents are […]
In Washington, poplar trees are widely used in commercial products, but, like several other tree species, they emit gases to the atmosphere that worsen air pollution and alter climate. Now field trials in Oregon and Arizona show that poplar trees, which emit trace amounts of the gas isoprene, can be genetically modified to leave air […]
The bioeconomy is kickstarting 2020 with a flurry of innovations, like a millennial entrepreneur who developed a method to convert invasive toxic algae commonly called “rock snot” into various materials including paper, fabric and bioplastic. Another entrepreneur developed thermal insulation made from sisal, a plant found in east Africa. And a for sure way to […]
From Jose Cuervo’s new project to convert agave byproduct into biodegradable straws to death (corpse to compost), this week’s Top 10 Innovations are a hoot to boot. Car maker Ford is using McDonald’s coffee waste in car parts, and a New Zealand airline is using edible coffee cups made from biscotti to reduce in-light service […]
In New York, breaking news arrived that Anellotech is significantly expanding its program with Plas-TCat, a new process technology aiming to convert a wide range of plastic waste directly into chemicals – which can then be used to make new, virgin plastics. 95% of plastic packaging material is annually lost to the economy after a […]
