Alt Materials

Skincare brand Stream2Sea and scientists from the University of Derby have developed a sunscreen that feeds and nourishes coral reefs. Sunscreen has become a political issue. From "anti-SPF conspiracy theorists" denouncing their…
Read More...

German biotech startup Insempra has closed a $20M Series A funding round to expand the production of its yeast-fermented lipids for food and cosmetics. Led by EQT Ventures, the Series A round builds on Insempra's 2021 seed funding to…
Read More...

Unilever-owned mayonnaise brand Hellmann's Canada has partnered with Italian sustainable fashion label ID.Eight to launch a limited-edition collection of sneakers made from food waste. Mushrooms, corn, apples and grapes – these may be…
Read More...

Apple has stopped production of FineWoven, its eco-friendly alternative to leather for iPhone and Apple Watch cases, after complaints about its performance and durability. "Goodbye Leather." This was Apple's message in a short new ad…
Read More...

Swedish packaging solutions startup Saveggy has raised SEK 20M (€1.76M) to scale up its plastic-free, plant-based coating for fruits and vegetables, starting with cucumbers. Lund-based Saveggy's latest funding round of €1.76M…
Read More...

Japanese eco materials startup Spiber has secured ¥10B ($65M) in funding to accelerate mass production of its fermentation-derived Brewed Protein for use in the fashion, automotive and personal care industries. In what is a major…
Read More...

Vyld, the female-founded Berlin startup making sustainable period products from algae, has secured a seven-figure sum in seed funding that includes a financing instrument they created themselves. Three years after launch, Vyld has…
Read More...

Exercise can be more sustainable now, thanks to Community Clothing's new Organic Athletic sportswear line, which is free from plastics and can decompose in your garden in as little as a week. Community Clothing, the sustainable clothing…
Read More...

Earthshot Prize-winning British startup Notpla's seaweed-based packaging has become the 'first and only' material recognised as plastic-free by a European Union country, following a nine-month verification process under the EU's Single-Use…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...

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…
Read More...