Next gen materials news and archive

Lululemon invests in scaling bio-based nylon with ZymoChem

Canadian athletic apparel company Lululemon has entered into a multi-year collaboration with California-based biotechnology firm ZymoChem to expand its use of sustainable bio-based nylon in its products. Lululemon said it would work with ZymoChem to sustainably transform a key building block of nylon 6,6, a foundational material used in many of...

Fashion

Puma and Re&Up to collaborate on scaling circularity

Sports company Puma has announced a multi-year partnership with circulartech company Re&Up Recycling Technologies to scale a fully circular textile solution, where it transforms textile waste into RE&UP’s next-gen recycled cotton fibres and recycled polyester chips. In a statement, Puma said the move was aligned with its Vision 2030...

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Fashion for Good & BCG: Demand for next-gen materials could outpace supply by 2030

“Materials lie at the heart of the fashion industry. They form the foundation of every garment, shaping the design, feel and functionality of the product. They also define the brand’s narrative and its appeal to consumers,” starts a new report published today and created by global sustainability initiative Fashion for Good together with the...

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Parley launches new label and incubator to accelerate eco-innovation and design

Parley for the Oceans, the global environmental organisation and impact network, has announced a long-term partnership with the Paris-based Dover Street Market Paris Brand Development (DSMP-BD) to launch a new label and investment incubator to accelerate eco, natural and biofabricated innovations. The new partnership will see Parley launching a...

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Shein announces development of new polyester recycling process

Shein has developed a new polyester recycling process in collaboration with Donghua University, a research institute specializing in textile innovation. Part of Shein’s ongoing multi-year partnership with the research institute, the new recycling process is another key step in Shein’s evoluShein strategy, a framework launched by the Chinese...

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Ambercycle partners with Benma Group to scale development of circular polyester fibers

Material science innovator Ambercycle has entered into a strategic partnership with Benma Group to scale the development of circular polyester fiber. Through the new partnership, Ambercycle and the Chinese-based company will scale and expand the production of cycora fibers, Ambercycle's regenerated polyester fiber. By partnering with the...

Fashion|In Pictures Featured

Uncaged Innovations collaborates with indie brands to showcase bio-based leather alternative

American biomaterial company Uncaged Innovations has partnered with 10 indie fashion brands to launch Elevate to bring to market its new bio-based luxury leather alternative, Elevate. As part of ‘The Uncaged Collective,’ the emerging next-gen leather company, gave 10 brands from nine countries, including the UK, US, Germany, Argentina, Mexico,...

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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...

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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...

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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...