Material Innovation Initiative’s Post

L’Oréal anchor investor as Sparxell raises £2.5m for plant-based colourants. Sparxell was founded in 2022 by Cambridge scientists, led by Dr Benjamin Droguet and Professor Silvia Vignolini, who discovered ways to replicate vibrant colours in nature using fully plant-based cellulose, a renewable, biodegradable resource that can be extracted from waste streams. The greentech company, “inspired by nature”, has “unlocked an elemental colour code to create visually stunning, fade-resistant, biodegradable products redefining how natural colours are perceived”. Sparxell’s biodegradable pigments use the self-assembly properties of cellulose nanocrystals to create helix-like structures that reflect light more effectively than traditional products. Cellulose is the material many plants and animals use to produce vivid, durable, and fade-resistant colourants. The products are toxin-free and fully biodegradable, with a colour intensity that lasts longer than traditional colourants and pigments on the market. The cellulose the pigments are made from is one of the most abundant materials on Earth and found in trees and crops all over the world, and can even be extracted from agricultural by-products, removing all health, ethical and environmental concerns inherent in other products. Dr Droguet said: “Our plant-based materials can be grown and sourced locally in a complete rethink of how colours are currently being manufactured while reducing transport emissions.” Market opportunities await in fashion, beauty, packaging and paint. The journey has started! Good luck. #plant #colorants #agricultural #toxin-free #cellulose #familyoffices '

With the rise of the adoption of next-gen materials, component companies play an important role in helping next-gen materials become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.🙌 Dyes are often underestimated. They can impact the cost of your fibers and materials and thus impact brand adoption. For example, Sparxell discovered a sustainable approach to replicate vibrant colors in nature using plant-based cellulose, creating a renewable, toxin-free, and fully biodegradable resource, leading them to complete a $3.2m funding round earlier this year. Hear from Harrie Schoots, MII Brand Partnerships Advisory Council member and Textile Consultant on June 27, 2024 at 12 pm EST!🙌 This webinar will cover this important topic and so much more, providing clarity and actionable insights for innovators looking to develop next-gen materials. Join our webinar ‘How to Price Next-gen Materials’ to discover more 👉 https://lnkd.in/e_mnbA5T #Materialinnovation #Nextgenmaterials #Innovation #Sustainability #Fashion

🚀ACHEMA 2024: What were the highlights? True to myself, I am fashionably late once again reporting on Sustainability news, but at least this one makes up with a lot of interesting innovations to cover! During ACHEMA, held in Frankfurt last June, start-ups showcased in the field sustainable textile dyes, alternatives to microplastics, innovative recycling technologies, and AI-supported applications, placing sustainable chemistry in the front of everyone's minds again! The main aim of these innovations are towards waste reduction, emission lowering, and alignment to ever tightening sustainability standards. ACHEMA 2024 helped these industries get visibility on a global stage. Here are a few examples! 🎻 Vienna Textile Lab Developing biodegradable dyes and pigments from microorganisms, partnering with fashion brands and textile mills to drive sustainable manufacturing. 🥤 BIOWEG Creating bio-based, 100% biodegradable alternatives to fossil chemicals, replacing microplastics with high-quality functional ingredients. 🍼 Mavisol Utilizing AI-powered quality monitoring for PET packaging production, enabling the wider use of recycled PET without compromising quality. ♻ Plastale Presenting solutions for the circular economy, co-exhibiting at the ISC3 booth to connect with global investors and stakeholders. 🌳 Banyan Nation Providing innovative recycling technologies that support a circular economy, showcased at the Innovation Stage. Other innovative start-ups like Energy Robotics GmbH, Coac GmbH, Nextmol, Blueplasma Power, ETB Technologies, FRE Technologies, AllocNow, UniteLabs, and Exomatter also joined in the fray and presented groundbreaking ideas, further advancing sustainable chemistry. Have a look at the article for more insights! #Sutainablewednesday

𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐜𝐨-𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑻𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂 (𝑬𝑨𝑰) TotalEnergies Corbion and Bluepha have announced a strategic collaboration to develop sustainable fibers by combining Luminy PLA, a bioplastic made from renewable resources, and Bluepha's PHB, a biodegradable polyester produced through microbial fermentation. This partnership aims to introduce eco-friendly materials to the textile industry, reducing carbon emissions and plastic pollution. The integration of these biopolymers is set to offer enhanced sustainability and meet the growing consumer demand for green products, particularly in fashion, home textiles, and technical fabrics. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 👉 https://lnkd.in/gNYsGy_G 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘈𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢 (𝘌𝘈𝘐), 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢'𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦-𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯? 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘌𝘈𝘐, 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘶𝘱𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 👉 https://lnkd.in/gB-PTBq8 Thomas Philipon | Krishnan G S | RAJESH MATHUR | Dr. Darshana Jadhav | Anup Ranjan Agnihotri | Teng Li | Haoqian Zhang | Hao Jiang | Alex Yu | Yanzhou Jiang | #SustainableMaterials #EcoFriendlyTextiles #Bioplastics #GreenInnovation #CarbonReduction

🌿 We're thrilled to share that BioFashionTech has been featured in a Online Kenniscentrum Duurzaam Ondernemen newspaper, highlighting groundbreaking innovations in sustainability! 🎉 Dutch researchers have developed a groundbreaking method to produce biodegradable plastic from #textilewaste through the "Design for Transformation" (D4T) project. The process uses advanced #biotechnology to break down materials like cotton and polyester, creating biodegradable polymers and syngas. This innovation not only reduces waste but also offers an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastics. The pilot, led by Circle Economy and other partners, such as the Municipality of Rotterdam, Wageningen University & Research and BioFashionTech highlights the potential for scalable solutions in creating value from non-recyclable textiles. Read the full article to discover more about this exciting initiative:  https://lnkd.in/drr4zcw6 #BioFashionTech #SustainableInnovation #CircularEconomy #TextileRecycling #EcoTech #GreenFashion #SustainabilityInFashion

Circular packaging is gaining immense traction as regulations and consumer demand for sustainability increase. Key innovations utilize bio-based and recycled materials, with a focus on cellulose, chitosan and ocean-bound plastics. Governments actively fund startups driving this movement. Companies adopting circular packaging gain reputational benefits while mitigating environmental impact. With its ability to close the loop, circular packaging presents a world of opportunities now and in the future. #circularpackaging #sustainability #biomaterials #recycling Read more: https://lnkd.in/ggsBV7pT

This year's feature: The Labs on Fibre (LOF) Research Project Launched in March 2023, this groundbreaking initiative aims to explore and enhance recycling possibilities for post-consumer textiles, specifically targeting non-reusable textiles. In this project, prominent social economy actors in Flanders, including Oxfam, Kringwinkels, and We Make Hope, collaborate to tackle the challenge of recycling the substantial amount of textiles that cannot be reused. Together, these organisations gather over 20,000 tons of textiles annually, with approximately 10% classified as waste due to their non-reusability. Key Highlights: ☑️ Featuring multiple partners, this project underscores the importance of cooperation in textile recycling initiatives. ☑️ Transforming non-reusable post-consumer waste into new products, promoting sustainability. ☑️ Addressing the challenge of finding buyers for recycled materials, emphasizing the need for market development in the recycled product sector. The project is structured around six lab setups where partners investigate various recycling options for non-reusable textiles. These labs serve as experimental grounds for testing and developing new value chains on a micro-level, with the ultimate goal of scaling up successful processes upon completion of the research phase. Match with them! Are you a ☑️ Chain partner, organisations processing post-consumer textile streams, such as: denim, 100% cotton, polyester, poly-cotton and blends for felting. ☑️ Buyer, companies, brands and designers interested in implementing recycled materials in their products and ideas. ☑️ Company or tech startup that is developing new recycling technologies or materials processing methods. ☑️ Universities and research centre that specialize in materials science, sustainable development and improving circular chains. Join us to learn more about this innovative project and explore potential collaborations that can drive the future of textile recycling! 📅 18 & 19 September 2024 📍 1931 Congress Centre, ‘s-Hertogenbosch 🎟️ https://lnkd.in/d9MMrHh #CircularTextileDays #Sustainability #Innovation #CircularEconomy #TextileInnovation #GreenFuture

🌊🧴 Booting out microplastics from beauty products! A huge proportion of the #microplastics that end up in the ocean come from cosmetics. Now, Naturbeads has a planet-friendly replacement. The startup has developed biodegradable plant-based microspheres that can be used as an alternative to the plastic beads used in home- and self-care products, paints, coatings, and even in the production of vaccines. Discover the full story now ➡️ #PlasticFree #Beauty #Innovation #InnovationThatMatters Giovanna Laudisio

How can AI enable recycling of plastic wastes? ♻️ A US based biotechnology startup, Protein Evolution has developed a recycling process that takes mixed plastic and textile waste, analyzes its composition, and then applies #enzymes designed using #artificialintelligence (AI) to break it down into feedstock, such as polyester chips for fiber and fabric manufacturing (the French company Carbios has also developed proprietary enzymes for recycling #PET bottles). ♻️ Protein Evolution now has ambitious plans to adopt its AI-based enzymatic recycling technology to #polyamides (nylons) and #polyurethanes, which are much more difficult to break down and recycle because of their long-chain structures. This is still an early-stage process currently at the pilot-plant stage. Will be interesting to see how enzymatic recycling scales up to complement other plastic waste recycling technologies. #plasticwaste #technology #innovation #circulareconomy

🌟 MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH ALERT: Unveiling the Future with Carbon-Neutral Inks! 🌟 In a seismic shift for innovation and R&D, we're thrilled to unveil a game-changing discovery: Carbon-Neutral Inks! 🚀 This isn't just another breakthrough; it's a pivotal moment in our journey towards sustainable advancement. Dive into GreyB's latest blog for an in-depth exploration of this groundbreaking technology and its far-reaching impact. From revolutionizing manufacturing processes to mitigating environmental impact, the potential of carbon-neutral inks is nothing short of extraordinary. 🌱 Sustainability isn't just a buzzword—it's our responsibility. Let's seize this opportunity to reshape industries, pioneer eco-friendly solutions, and build a brighter future for generations to come. 🌱 Read all about this cutting-edge innovation here: https://lnkd.in/gthzFA2n #Innovation #Sustainability #R&D #CarbonNeutral #Technology #EcoFriendly #FutureTech #EnvironmentalInnovation GreyB