Next gen materials news and archive

Sparxell introduces first plant-based structural colour ink for commercial use

Cambridge-based start-up Sparxell will next month begin selling what it claims is the world’s first commercially available, plant-derived structural colour ink for textiles. The launch, produced in partnership with manufacturing specialist Positive Materials, offers fashion brands a dye-free alternative that promises sharp reductions in water,...

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Mango partners with Circulose to increase textile circularity

Spanish fast-fashion retailer Mango is the first brand to partner with Swedish circular material company Circulose since its restart, as the retailer aims to integrate the next-gen material into its production chain. The partnership underscores a milestone in Mango’s commitment to working more sustainably and sits in line with its long-term...

Fashion

Sheep Inc. launches world's first swim shorts made from 100% natural materials

London-based knitwear brand Sheep Inc. has launched the industry’s first-ever swim shorts to be made entirely from natural materials, the Merino Swim Shorts. Made from 100 percent ZQ-certified Reda Active Merino wool, the swimming shorts are lined with a biodegradable mesh and are completely free from plastics and microplastics, according to a...

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Solena Materials secures $6.7 million investment scale production of sustainable protein fibers

Biomaterials company Solena Materials, which is currently developing novel protein fibers for high-performance apparel, has raised 6.7 million dollars in seed funding. The investment round was supported by investors including Sir David Harding, SynBioVen, and Insempra. Leveraging AI-driven protein design, the Solena Materials engineers custom...

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Arda Biomaterials secures 5.25 million US dollars to commercialise technology

Arda Biomaterials, which transforms brewery and whisky waste into novel materials, such as leather-like materials, for fashion and retail use, has raised 5.25 million US dollars to commercialise its technology leveraging plant proteins. The British-based chemistry technology company closed an oversubscribed 5.25 million US dollars (4.05 million...

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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...

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Fashion |In Pictures

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,...