In Switzerland, a natural latex condom brand is going hard into ESG by switching to renewable electricity and packaging. According to Feelgood Condoms—which boasts the cheeky tagline, “Not only for vegans & animal lovers: Feelgood satisfies everyone”—manufacturing will soon switch to EKOenergy-certified renewable and CO2-neutral energy in its production. EKOenergy certification means there is no […]
In Switzerland, an engineering project at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne is envisioning edible drones as a means to increase the payload of life-saving emergency provisions. According to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, drone cargo is currently limited to 10–30% of overall mass—meaning drone drops of food to the stranded can be […]
In Switzerland, the treatment of wastewater to protect human health and water bodies remains the primary task of wastewater treatment plants. In addition, the recovery of resources is becoming increasingly important on the path to circular economy. Wastewater, for example, contains a lot of organic carbon that is often converted into methane for further energy […]
In Switzerland, researchers in the Soft Materials Laboratory in the School of Engineering at EPFL turned to nature for a solution for composite materials that are simultaneously light and strong, porous and rigid. They have pioneered a 3D printable ink that contains Sporosarcina pasteurii: a bacterium which, when exposed to a urea-containing solution, triggers a […]
In Switzerland, specialty chemicals maker Givaudan has introduced RetiLife™, the first 100% naturally sourced retinol for use in anti-aging cosmetic products. The retinol is produced via fermentation using microorganisms and plant-based sugars as feedstock. It is then combined with sunflower oil, which acts as a protective natural antioxidant. “Retinol is widely used in skincare applications […]
In Switzerland, European Union (EU) Innovation Fund announces funding of EUR 328 million in two Holcim decarbonization projects at the Financing Innovative Clean Tech Conference in Brussels. The grants will accelerate the development of Holcim’s breakthrough carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) projects in Germany and Poland. These projects are part of Holcim’s net-zero roadmap, […]
In Switzerland, the production of synthetic methane from hydrogen and CO2 – so-called methanation– has its pitfalls. This is because methane produced by such a catalytic process still contains hydrogen, which prevents it from being fed directly into the gas grid. Empa researchers have therefore developed a new reactor concept, in which the formation of […]
In Switzerland, the beauty division of luxury brand owner LVMH has partnered with Dow, Inc. on recycled and biobased packaging for perfume and cosmetic products. Biobased and circular materials will be used in Dow’s SURLYN™ Ionomers for production of perfume caps and cosmetic cream jars. SURLYN possesses similar crystalline transparency and design freedom as Dow’s […]
In Switzerland, EPFL chemical engineers have invented a solar-powered artificial leaf, built on a novel electrode which is transparent and porous, capable of harvesting water from the air for conversion into hydrogen fuel. The semiconductor-based technology is scalable and easy to prepare. A device that can harvest water from the air and provide hydrogen fuel—entirely […]
In Switzerland, running shoe company On has begun a rental program for its biobased Cloudneo sneaker. Produced using several materials made from castor oil beans, the cost of leasing Cloudneo sneakers runs about $30 a month. When a runner wears out their current sneaker, they can send for a new pair and receive a FedEx […]
