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Alternative Materials Industry breaking news, interviews, startup features, lifestyle guides & more from our award- winning impact & sustainability media platform.
4 Mins Read In its annual September event, Apple announced it’s ending the use of leather from all its products – including Apple Watch bands and iPhone cases – to meet its 2030 carbon neutrality target. While it remains tight-lipped on what its new FineWoven material is made out of, it says the eco-friendly micro-twill fabric contains 68% post-consumer […]
6 Mins Read A more ethical and usually eco-friendly alternative to their mined counterparts, lab-grown diamonds have been making a lot of waves lately. But how are they made, just how climate-friendly are they, and are consumers buying them? The hardest naturally occurring substance on earth, diamonds represent a $90 billion industry. But new concerns about diamond supply […]
3 Mins Read North Carolina-based biotech startup Jellatech has announced a $3.5M oversubscribed seed funding round to amp up the production of its cell-based collagen and other proteins. It comes months after the firm created a fully functional human collagen, which added to its portfolio of bovine and porcine collagen. The fundraising round was led by Nordic VC firm […]
4 Mins Read Using New York-based climate tech startup C16 Biosciences’ Palmless Torula oil, British material science firm Pangaia and skincare label Haeckels have together created the Rewild Body Block. The limited-edition soap bar is a sustainable alternative to palm oil variants, and is scented with natural oils to evoke the smell of rainforests burning down – spotlighting how […]
4 Mins Read UK startup Saltyco has developed a BioPuff, a new bulrush-based fill material for puffer jackets that has a feather-like structure. A sustainable alternative to animal- and petroleum-based materials like duck or goose fibres and polyester or nylon, it’s designed to provide warm, lightweight and water-resistant insulation. A winner of the H&M Foundation‘s Global Change Award […]
3 Mins Read Israel-based microalgae-focused alternative protein company Brevel has recently concluded an $18.5M Seed funding round. The new funding is earmarked to boost the mainstream food industry with what Brevel says is a novel, highly sustainable, affordable, and functionally adaptable protein. The fundraising round was led by NevaTeam Partners and received backing from the European Union’s EIC […]
2 Mins Read Researchers have developed a novel plant-based substitute for gelatin derived from pea protein. Dr. Lingyun Chen and her team at the University of Alberta, who created the pea protein gelatin say the new product, currently in the patent-pending stage, showcases enhanced protein content compared to other existing plant-based gelatin alternatives such as pectin. What sets […]
2 Mins Read Willicroft debuts a new vegan butter made from fermented beans. Dutch startup Willicroft, known for its plant-based cheese alternatives, is expanding its product range with the introduction of its first non-cheese offering: a fermented butter. The innovative product, named “The Original Better,” will hit the market in both retail stores and food service in September. […]
3 Mins Read Akua, the New York-based creator of the “world’s first” kelp burger, has announced a partnership with Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants to introduce kid-friendly Kelp Patties. The new slider-sized patties, available in Original and BBQ flavors, are designed to make eco-friendly eating more appealing to children. The burgers will be launching in select U.S. retailers and at […]
3 Mins Read A new truffle-based sugar alternative discovery comes at a critical time for the artificial sweetener category. Colorado-based MycoTechnology says it has identified a sweet protein originating from honey truffles that could disrupt the conventional sugar and manufactured sweeteners markets. The groundbreaking development comes as the artificial sweetener aspartame has been identified as a possible carcinogen […]
3 Mins Read Israel-based SimpliiGood, a front-runner in the food-tech industry, has announced the launch of chicken nuggets made primarily from spirulina microalgae. And the company says they’re a game-changer. SimpliiGood is pioneering an innovation in spirulina, which it says can mirror the taste and texture of conventional chicken while providing a higher nutritional value and a smaller […]
3 Mins Read Pioneering precision fermentation food tech company Perfect Day has dismissed approximately 15 percent of its staff as it shuttered its consumer-facing arm, The Urgent Company. Perfect Day, which put “animal-free” precision fermentation dairy on the map, says it’s going to focus solely on its B2B efforts rather than its consumer-facing brands that include CoolHaus and […]
4 Mins Read In the race to clean up the food system, molecular farming is emerging as one of the protein industry’s most viable contenders. Molecular farming was first demonstrated more than 30 years ago when scientists produced a recombinant antibody and human serum albumin in transgenic plants and cell cultures. The tech has since expanded its reach with a number of […]
2 Mins Read WNWN Food Labs, the food tech startup focused on cocoa-free chocolate, has won ‘Best Demo’ in the Häagen-Dazs Start-Up Innovation Challenge. The contest, organized by food innovation network EIT Food, focuses on finding solutions to crucial issues in health and environmental sustainability. Häagen-Dazs innovation challenge Last month, the London-based WNWN showcased its innovative product at […]
3 Mins Read Synonym, a leader in designing, developing, and managing commercial-scale biomanufacturing facilities, has launched Scaler — the first free online techno-economic analysis (TEA) tool exclusively for fermentation. The creation of Scaler is geared towards propelling the growth of biomanufacturing. Synonym says Scaler can help businesses forecast their operational and production expenses at an industrial scale. The […]
3 Mins Read Molecular farming ingredient company Moolec Science SA says it has achieved an impressive advancement in sustainable meat substitutes: soybeans that taste like pork. Moolec’s Meat Replacements Program yielded 26.6 percent of total soluble protein in soy seeds via its newly developed “Piggy Sooy”, surpassing its initial projections by a factor of four. The distinctly pink […]
3 Mins Read In a bid to address some of the most pressing challenges in biomanufacturing, the startup Hyfé has closed an oversubscribed $9 million Seed investment round. Hyfé’s Seed funding round was spearheaded by Synthesis Capital, with further participation from The Engine, Refactor Capital, Supply Change Capital, Overwater Ventures, X Factor Ventures, and Alumni Ventures. This new […]
4 Mins Read As consumers become increasingly conscious of their fashion choices, the industry is scrambling to switch to more animal-free and vegan leather to retain their share in the quickly shifting market. According to a recent report, the global vegan leather sector will balloon to US$89 billion by 2025, with the majority of the growth led by […]
3 Mins Read Singaporeans will have a chance to try the world’s first gelato made from air at the restaurant Fico. Developed by Finnish food tech company Solar Foods, the new dessert is made using ingredients derived from air. Last September, Solar Foods obtained regulatory approval from Singapore to sell Solein — its revolutionary microbial protein. The public […]
3 Mins Read Uncaged Innovations, a biomaterials startup focused on sustainable leather alternatives, has raised $2 million in a Pre-Seed funding round. Uncaged’s funding comes from investors, including InMotion Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) investment arm. Other mission-driven funds and syndicates striving to replace the use of animals in supply chains participated in the round, including VegInvest, Stray […]
3 Mins Read The upcycled food innovator, Renewal Mill, has successfully secured the initial phase of its Series A funding round. The undisclosed financing round was led by Beyond Impact Advisors and ICA Fund. In the upcoming months, Renewal Mill plans to secure the remainder of its Series A round. The acquired capital will fuel further expansion of […]