In New York, designer Mara Zimmerman has developed SEAD, a seed delivery and cultivation material made from discarded seafood cells. Specifically, Zimmerman uses chitin from waste sources like shrimp and crab shells. Chitin, which is gaining interest as an emerging bioplastics, encourages seed germination and has pesticidal properties. SEAD users only have to break the […]
In New York, apparel brand The North Face has partnered with the BOTTLE Consortium to scale polyhydroxyalkanoates as a biodegradable alternative to polyester. The collaboration hopes to address the problem of microfibers shedding off of clothes during wash cycles, ultimately contributing to microplastics in waterways. “PHAs can… break down naturally without a highly controlled, composting […]
In New York, a company converting seafood waste such as shrimp shells into leather alternatives has raised $4.15 million. Founded by textile researcher and designer Uyen Tran, TômTex’s material can be used in place of leather, suede, latex and vinyl. The funds will be used to increase production and add employees. Investors included Happiness Capital, […]
In New York state, Synonym, a biomanufacturing infrastructure company, is unlocking the market forces to enable a quickly-maturing multi-hundred billion dollar sector—which will “allow biomanufacturing [to] finally fulfill its promise of achieving commercial scale.” So says a new report by leading global consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) (coauthored by Synonym), entitled Breaking the Cost […]
In New York state, Infinium and Amogy Inc. (Amogy), a pioneer of carbon-free, energy-dense power solutions, have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore opportunities to integrate their technologies and develop commercial applications across the eFuels and green ammonia value chain. Infinium and Amogy are also exploring collaborations with both Mitsubishi Heavy Industries […]
In New York, Danimer Scientific has successfully completed expansion of its Rinnovo® bioplastic demonstration plant located in Rochester. Rinnovo is a type of polyhydroxyalkanoate synthesized using a thermocatalytic process, which Danimer believes can be produced at a lower cost than PHA produced via fermentation. The Rinnovo platform also boasts unique properties relative to currently marketed […]
In New York, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are developing bacteria that consumer plastic waste and excrete a biodegradable material similar to silk. The team started by isolating a bacterial that naturally consumes polyethylene, a common plastic used in single-use applications. They then genetically edited the bacteria to produce an amino acid sequence similar to […]
In New York, C16 Biosciences has secured a $3.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance its fermentation platform for producing food-grade oils and fats. The company was also granted a $1 million investment from Elemental Excelerator. The global edible oils industry is projected to reach $870 billion by 2050, but […]
In New York State, Nexus Development Capital, a provider of catalytic capital for sustainable infrastructure project developers, announced a $5 million investment in biochar producer Standard Biocarbon. The funding will enable Standard Biocarbon to scale operations at its facility in Enfield, Maine to meet the growing demand for carbon capture and biochar. The company will […]
In New York, winners of PETA’s inaugural Fashion Awards include celebrities who champion vegan leathers and trail-blazing brands working to make fashion kinder to animals and the planet. Stella McCartney earned Best Vegan Heel for its “showstopping” Ryder Knee-High Stiletto Boots popularized by Taylor Swift. The boot is made from the brand’s Alter Mat […]
