6Mins Read Next-gen materials, a term describing high-performance sustainable alternatives to animal-based materials, is at present still a nascent industry. But researchers at the Material Innovation Initiative (MII) believe that it will follow a similar trajectory as the explosive alternative protein industry. By 2026, next-gen materials are set to become a US$2.2 billion market, according to a […]
3Mins Read Nestlé unveiled a hybrid bottle for Vittel which uses 100% recyclable components to move the French water brand into a sustainable direction.
4Mins Read Xampla, the University of Cambridge spin-off startup, will soon introduce compostable plastic-free sachets and capsules made using a new “vegan spider silk” material. The new polymer material, which is plant-based, scalable and sustainably-made, has been developed by Cambridge researchers and could be used to replace single-use plastic items once and for all. Scientists from Cambridge […]
4Mins Read Xampla, the University of Cambridge spin-off startup, will soon introduce compostable plastic-free sachets and capsules made using a new “vegan spider silk” material. The new polymer material, which is plant-based, scalable and sustainably-made, has been developed by Cambridge researchers and could be used to replace single-use plastic items once and for all. Scientists from Cambridge […]
3Mins Read H&M Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Swedish fashion giant H&M, has launched a new virtual fashion collection featuring ten startups and their sustainable fashion designs. The Billion Dollar Collection also shows the estimated price tag that the selected Global Change Award winners believe they’ll need to scale up and “truly change the fashion industry […]
5Mins Read Silk is often the first fabric that people think of when it comes to luxury sleepwear. But behind silk is a production process that isn’t as shiny or soft as it looks, with thousands of silkworms often boiled or gassed alive to obtain their precious threads. There’s nothing comforting about cruelty, so Miami-based brand niLuu […]
3Mins Read Fortuna Cools, a Philippines-based agritech startup making sustainable coolers out of coconut fibre, has closed its round of seed funding. The company is backed by ADB Ventures, the impact investment arm of Asian Development Bank, and will be using the funds to ramp up production of its biodegradable plastic-free alternative to traditional styrofoam containers. Manila-headquartered […]
4Mins Read Seaweed processing and food & material innovation firm Oceanium announced it has raised GBP£2M (approx US$$2.7M) in a second seed round led by the Green Angel Syndicate and global conservation NGO the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The startup plans to use this capital to scale up its production of seaweed for applications in nutritional food […]
3Mins Read Engineers have developed a new paint formulation that could literally cool buildings down, reducing the need to use air conditioning and lowering our carbon footprint. Coating rooftops with the ultra-white paint could even be “more powerful than central air conditioners”, say the scientists. Scientists have now pushed the limits on how white paint can possibly […]
4Mins Read In a recent announcement, fast-food giant Burger King U.S. is testing sustainable alternatives for its cutlery, straws, drink lids, frypods, Whopper wrappers and napkins and will be further expanding its Loop reusables testing program through its partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and Kraft Heinz. Burger King U.S. has launched a green packaging pilot program to […]
Our planet is suffering from the deluge of plastics polluting our ocean and environment, harming biodiversity, animals and fuelling climate change. Even if we slashed plastic consumption by 80%, we’re still looking at dealing with an astonishing 710 million tonnes of waste littered across the Earth. Simply put, the planet is running out of time and we’re going to come up with a lot of solutions to fix the plastic crisis.
Enter these material startups, who are rising to the challenge and incorporating novel material science and circular technologies that could make a difference to the ongoing fight against plastic pollution.
The startups showcased their solutions at the virtual Rethinking Materials Summit in May; each is coming up with unique solutions that could transform the plastic and materials supply chain. Let’s take a look.
Source: Algaeing
1. Algaeing
Founding date: 2016
Headquarters: Tel Aviv, Israel
Founders: Renana Krebs & Dr. Oded Krebs
Solution: Bio-based materials
Israeli textiles innovation firm Algaeing by Algalife is a female-led startup harnessing the power of algae to make eco-friendly fibres. The startup, who recently won the VWS Pathfinder pitch competition, has developed a proprietary method to spin sustainable bio-fibres in a 100% closed loop system, as well as create dyes that are made with algae.
Source: Carbonauten
2. Carbonauten
Founding date: 2017
Headquarters: Giengen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Founders: Christina Granacher, Alejandro M., Torsten Becker
Solution: Bio-based materials
Carbonauten has come up with a system that slashes both the carbon footprint and cost for companies and municipalities to produce its NET Materials. The technology involves making the material from carbon-lowering biocarbons with different binders, using local biogenic residues and waste materials, then leaving behind only renewable energy as a by-product.
Source: Gelatex Technologies
3. Gelatex Technologies
Founding date: 2016
Headquarters: Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
Founders: Mari-Ann Meigo, Märt-Erik Martens
Solution: Bio-based materials
Estonian startup Gelatex Technologies creates cost-efficient bio-based nanofibres, making it possible for large companies to incorporate their fibres and polymers on a mass scale without having to add extra costs to their production. According to the firm, their patent-pending tech slashes the price of bio-based fibres by 90%. These fibres can be used to make everything from eco-friendly leather alternatives to 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering.
Source: Xampla
4. Xampla
Founding date: 2018
Headquarters: Cambridge, United Kingdom
Founders: Professor Tuomas Knowles, Dr. March Rodriguez Garcia, Simon Hombersley
Solution: Bio-based materials
A spin-off from Cambridge University, British startup Xampla is tackling microplastic pollution and single-use plastic with their plant-based protein materials. Their “next-generation” material is 100% natural, decomposes fully without harming the environment, but still performs just like synthetic polymers on the market.
Source: Empower
5. Empower
Founding date: 2018
Headquarters: Oslo, Norway
Founders: Carl Nesset, Gjermund Bjaanes, Wilhelm Myrer
Solution: Circular technologies
Empower is a Norway-based startup using digital tech, cloud data and blockchain to create their platform that seamlessly shares information on plastic waste, mapping the flows of plastic to ensure that the material ends up where it can have the highest value. Tracking plastic from production to end-of-life, where it hopefully can be repurposed into new sustainable products, the startup wishes to “close the tap on plastic waste and recreate a world without waste, a truly circular economy.”
Source: Genecis Bioindustries
6. Genecis Bioindustries
Founding date: 2016
Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
Founder: Luna Yu
Solution: Circular technologies
Genecis Bioindustries is a biotech firm using bacteria to make new premium materials from organic waste feedstocks. Reprogramming the bacteria from low-value organic waste, the company is able to cost-efficiently manufacture high-quality biodegradable polymers that can be used to make products such as thermo-resistant packaging, compostable coffee pods and even 3D-printing filaments – taking fossil fuels out of the equation in production.
Source: Magnomer
7. Magnomer
Founding date: 2017
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Magnomer makes novel magnetic inks that can be used in plastic packaging, which enables enhanced recycling for the circular economy. Their inks can be “seamlessly integrated” into current packaging materials, which makes it easier for firms to adopt the technology and allow for improved separation of products for recycling when it comes to their end-of-life.
Source: Scindo
8. Scindo
Founding date: 2020
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Founders: Benjamin G. Davis, Gustaf Hemberg, Juliet Sword
Solution: Circular technologies
Cleantech startup Scindo is using enzymes to recycle what the company dubs “the unrecyclables”. Their tech enables plastic polymers from items that cannot be efficiently recycled to be broken down into useful molecular components, which can then be used as a cheap feedstock in a range of industries – which means diversion of plastics away from landfills and incinerators, turning them towards carbon recycling instead.
4Mins Read In the fall of last year, global athleisure brand lululemon unveiled its impact agenda, marking its commitment to an equitable and sustainable future, and pledging to limit its environmental impact by creating products from alternative materials and end-of-use solutions.To reaffirm this commitment, the brand will be launching two new sustainable initiatives – the lululemon Like […]
4Mins Read In the fall of last year, global athleisure brand lululemon unveiled its impact agenda, marking its commitment to an equitable and sustainable future, and pledging to limit its environmental impact by creating products from alternative materials and end-of-use solutions.To reaffirm this commitment, the brand will be launching two new sustainable initiatives – the lululemon Like […]
2Mins Read Monopoly, the world famous property dealing board game, has unveiled a new version of its game called the Monopoly: Go Green Edition to promote sustainability among its players by introducing concepts such as renewables and capitalizing on them to build a green world. Created by artist, writer and feminist Lizzie Magie, at the crux of […]
3Mins Read General Silicones (GS), a major manufacturer and distributor of silicone and rubber products across the CPG, electronics and automobile industries, has made its first debut into the vegan leather space, introducing a new plastic-free sustainable leather alternative made from natural silicone rubber. The Taiwanese company says the decision is part of its “manufacturing evolution” in […]
4Mins Read Recently, American denim brand Levi’s launched a new campaign ‘Buy Better, Wear Longer’ that features Jaden Smith, Xiye Bastida, Melati Wijsen, and Marcus Rashford among others, to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of the apparel industry. The multi-platform global ad campaign titled ‘Buy Better, Wear Longer’ focuses on creating quality clothing that lasts for generations by […]
3Mins Read Material science company Pangaia has collaborated with cleantech solutions firm Graviky Labs to unveil a new capsule collection by creative director Jenke Ahmed Tailly that features the latter’s AIR-INK, a water-based black ink made from air pollution. In line with London-based Pangaia’s commitment to sustainability and promoting a circular economy, its new capsule consists of […]
3Mins Read Sylven New York, the Brooklyn, New York-based female-founded sustainable luxury footwear brand, is launching its first-ever plant-based leather sneaker. Made from vegan apple and coconut leather, The Mel makes its debut on Earth Day, coinciding with the brand’s founder Casey Dworkin’s birthday and her personal journey to veganism after participating in the famous Veganuary movement […]
3Mins Read Jellatech, the North Carolina-based startup dedicated to developing animal-free collagen and gelatin ingredients, has announced the closing of a US$2 million pre-seed round. The new funds, which come ahead of the launch of its first cell-based ingredient samples, will fuel the company’s continued development of its animal-free products for the F&B, skincare and medical industries. […]
4Mins Read To celebrate Earth month, Fossil, a luxury brand of fashion watches and accessories launched a limited-edition solar-powered watch and a collection of bags that are created out of animal-free vegan leather developed by award-winning Spanish company Desserto. As part of the U.S.-based Fossil’s commitment towards protecting the planet, the ‘Make Time For Good’ initiative that […]
3Mins Read Founded by German fashion designer and photographer Karl Lagerfeld, the fashion house recently joined forces with model, actress, and activist Amber Valletta to co-create a sustainable accessories collection for Spring 2021 that features cruelty-free versions of its iconic K/Kushion bag by using vegan cactus leather instead of animal ones. In keeping with their efforts to achieve the […]
3Mins Read Clothing giant H&M recently partnered with footwear company Good News that makes sustainable trainers inspired by the retro age to unveil a new collection that features shoes made out of alternative plant-based materials as well as recycled ones. Swiss giant H&M and London-based Good News released its first unisex collection together that showcases materials like […]
4Mins Read Urbankissed, a sustainable online marketplace that offers its customers slow and ethical fashion choices across a number of brands, has just added its 100th vendor on board. hitting a new milestone for the company as well as for the cruelty-free fashion industry as a whole. Founded in 2017, Swiss-based fair trade and sustainable fashion marketplace […]
4Mins Read Just Eat, the British online food ordering and delivery service, is testing compostable seaweed food boxes by Notpla in order to tackle the vast amount of plastic pollution the food takeaway industry produces. Just Eat, a leading brand in food delivery in the U.K, with over 30000+ restaurants, decided to join forces with London-based Notpla, […]
4Mins Read An awardee of Oxford University’ recent inter-college All-Innovate competition, young startup Fiquetex, co-founded by Gabriel Moreno and his father Alex , won the Postgraduate award for developing a versatile vegan fabric and leather using Colombian succulents. A past student of Esher College in Surrey, England and a current student of Latin American economics at Oxford […]
4Mins Read The Material Innovation Initiative (MII), a non-profit dedicated to promoting the creation of animal-free materials for various industries, collaborated with the North Mountain Consulting Group on a study about U.S. consumer perception around cruelty-free leather. Findings show that 55% of those surveyed preferred leather alternatives over animal leather and in this category, 73% said that […]
