The ‘untapped potential’ of natural and biotech fibres
19/06/2024
The report investigates each category and presents their market potential, their inherent properties (what makes silk or wool special for instance) and the performance and aesthetic characteristics that next-gen alternatives need to meet to replace current animal or synthetic raw materials. The report also suggests avenues for innovation and includes a round-up of companies active in these fields.
“Our goal is to direct interest, attention and resources to the areas within the next-gen materials industry that hold the most promise. This report is a call to action for the industry to innovate and fill these white spaces for the benefit of accelerating sustainable and ethical material development,” says MII co-founder and CEO Nicole Rawling.
In its overview of silk alternatives, MII cites companies developing biotech processes, such as Spiber and AMSilk, along with makers of manmade cellulosic fibres that have been operating for decades, like Lenzing and Eastman.
MII’s innovators in wool and down include kapok-specialist Flocus and Weganwool, an Indian company that makes fibres from milkweed. Milkweed is also the raw material chosen by Quebec-based Vegeto. Ponda (formerly SaltyCo) is betting on cattail, a regenerative marsh plant, as a possible natural insulation for its BioPuff.
MII thus appears to cast a wide net over next-generation materials as the term covers manmade solutions, both biotech and conventional, and upstart companies that are taking a new look at what nature has to offer.
Read up on innovation in down and alternative thermal insulation solutions in our feature here.
Imagery courtesy of Flocus
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