Next gen materials news and archive

Reformation partners with Ambercycle to feature cycora in its latest collection

Los Angeles-based sustainable fashion brand Reformation has partnered with material science innovator Ambercycle to introduce a collection featuring cycora, Ambercycle’s regenerated polyester. Marking the start of an ongoing collaboration, the partnership aligns with Reformation’s broader goal of becoming circular by 2030. "To us that means...

Business

Qorium announces next step towards full-scale commercialization of lab-grown leather

Lab-grown leather innovator Qorium has taken a significant step towards the full-scale commercialization of lab-grown leather with its latest sample. The material measures 35 by 35 cm and was manufactured through the company’s recently scaled-up tissue bioreactor, demonstrating the viability of the company’s production process for large-scale...

Fashion

Carpe diem: the Costa Rican women turning fish into fashion

Costa de Pájaros, Costa Rica - On a beach in Costa Rica, as fishermen land the day's catch, two women are hard at work on a slimy sea bass skin, rubbing, scraping, washing, and tanning the hide to turn it into leather. Two years ago, both Mauren Castro, 41, and Marta Sosa, 70, were stay-at-home mums dependent on their fishermen husbands to...

Fashion |Interview Featured

Keel Labs unveils first seaweed-fiber collection with Outerknown

As the fashion industry continues to grapple with the environmental impact of both man-made and natural fibers, the need for next-gen, sustainable materials has never been higher. Synthetic materials like polyester and nylon, which account for two-thirds of the industry’s raw material usage, are made using fossil fuels and contribute to...

Business

Material Innovation Initiative to wind down operations

Material Innovation Initiative (MII) has informed stakeholders that it has made the decision to wind down its operations. In a letter from the organisation’s directors it was stated that the move, made by the board of directors and the executive leadership team, comes following “thorough evaluation and much deliberation”. Since its founding in...

Fashion |In Pictures Featured

Been London unveils handbag made of brewery waste

British accessories brand Been London has collaborated with London-based materials start-up Arda Biomaterials to develop a snakeskin-style handbag crafted from spent grain sourced locally from London’s ‘Beer Mile’ in Bermondsey. The new version of Been’s bestselling ‘Millais’ shoulder bag marks the first to debut Arda’s pioneering leather-like...

Business

Potato-to-textile manufacturer wins Fashion District’s innovation challenge

Fibe, a start-up developing textile fibre from potato harvest waste, has been selected as the winner of Fashion District’s 2024 Manufacturing Futures Innovation Challenge. With the accolade, Fibe will receive 15,000 pounds to support their innovation and grow their business as it looks to scale its affordable fibres to that of the same level as...

Business

Uncaged Innovations raises $5.6 Million to advance grain-free leather alternative

Uncaged Innovations, a biomaterials start-up based in New York, announced that it has successfully raised 5.6 million USD in a seed investment round. The proceeds will be used to fund the commercial launch of the company's grain-based leather as well as the expansion of its team, including its manufacturing team. An emerging next-gen leather...

Business |Interview Featured

From husk to yarn: The business behind Taiwan’s cacao textiles

In the realm of functional sportswear, Taiwan’s textile industry stands above all. One of the leaders in this sector is none other than GrandeTex, which, like its portfolio of materials, is a multifaceted firm. Carrying out pre-production, post-production and everything in between, the 2010-founded company has established an extensive line up of...

Fashion

UK biotech start-up unveils lab-grown leather

UK-based biotech start-up 3D Bio-Tissues (3DBT), powered by BSF Enterprise, has unveiled a lab-grown leather sample at the Future Fabrics Expo in London designed to meet the increasing demand for environmentally and animal-conscious alternative leather products. The bio-engineered samples are structurally and genetically identical to traditional...

Background

“Sustainable Textiles”: what are next-gen materials, biobased materials and recycled materials? (When is a material truly recycled?)

“About two-thirds of the raw materials used in the fashion industry are synthetic materials. Synthetic materials, also known as artificial or man-made fibers, are basic materials made by humankind in factories. Unlike cotton and wool, for example, these fabrics do not come from nature. But not everyone knows that synthetic fibers come from...

Report

Stella McCartney-backed Radiant Matters secures 1.2 million pound investment

Innovative materials start-up Radiant Matters has snapped up a 1.2 million pound investment from Sustainable Ventures alongside other impact-driven and deep tech investors as it looks to fuel its ongoing growth. Based in London, the company develops shimmer and colour effects from plant-based cellulose that can be applied across a number of...