Policy, Digital Innovation and Consumer Demand Will Push Sustainable Materials into Mainstream

Your website says: “Balena has partnered with a network of industrial compost facilities across the globe to enable the full and safe decomposition and biodegradation of our BioCir material back to the soil.” – What are the requirements of compost facilities that can biodegrade the Balena materials?
David Roubach: Balena’s BioCir material is certified to meet key global standards for industrial compostability, including ASTM D6400 and EN 13432. These certifications ensure that our material biodegrades safely in industrial composting facilities, where it is processed under controlled conditions. The certification confirms that BioCir will break down completely without leaving harmful residues, making it suitable for composting operations that meet these high standards. This commitment to certified compostability is part of our broader effort to ensure our materials are truly sustainable and can return safely to the environment.

There's another statement: “…fully biodegradable materials that meet U.S. (ASTM D6400-04) and E.U. (EN 13432) standards for composting in industrial composting facilities.” — But a consumer product at the end of the lifecycle will not find its way back there. So, wouldn't that add to the pollution like any other material? Please explain.
David Roubach: You raise an important point, and it’s one that we take seriously. While it’s true that not all consumer products will necessarily end up in industrial composting facilities, we believe that the process of disposal is just as crucial as the material itself. That’s why, at Balena, we’ve implemented take-back programmes designed to ensure that our materials are properly processed at the end of their lifecycle.

Through our take-back initiatives, we work directly with consumers and businesses to collect used products and return them to the appropriate composting or recycling facilities. This helps prevent the material from ending up in landfills or causing pollution. We’re committed to making sure that our materials are not only sustainable in their composition but also properly handled once they’ve served their purpose.

In addition, it’s important to note that the biodegradability of our materials, certified under ASTM D6400-04 and EN 13432, ensures that if our products do end up in a landfill or other waste stream, they will break down naturally, without leaving harmful residues. But we are doing everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen. We emphasise that the process of disposal — through our take-back programmes and partnerships with industrial composters — is just as important as creating a compostable material in the first place.

Our commitment to the full lifecycle of our products is what sets us apart and ensures that we are contributing to a circular, sustainable future.

How much time did it take from conception of the idea till the final product? Please share something about the journey.
David Roubach: The journey from concept to the final product has been a remarkable one. It all began in 2020 when I, with my background in business and fashion, crossed paths with Dr. Yanir Shaked, a seasoned polymer engineer with deep expertise in biodegradable polymers. Yanir was inspired by my vision to take biodegradable polymers beyond their conventional use in packaging and venture into uncharted territories.

What followed was the assembly of a world-class team, united by a shared passion for pushing the boundaries of material science. Over the next few years, we delved into research, experimentation, and countless iterations to create materials that not only met performance expectations but also embraced circularity. It’s been an intensive yet rewarding journey, one that has taught us the value of persistence, collaboration, and innovation. The process has allowed us to create game-changing solutions like BioCirFlex materials, and to partner with leading brands to demonstrate their real-world application. Each milestone has brought us closer to our vision of transforming industries with sustainable material solutions, and I couldn’t be prouder of the team and the progress we’ve made.

Without money—lots of it—these things can't happen. How did the funding come about? Have you been able to break even? If yes, when and if not by when?
David Roubach: That’s a great question! The journey of innovation in sustainability does require significant investment, and at Balena, we’ve been fortunate to secure funding from a variety of sources to help drive our mission forward. We’ve worked with venture capital firms, strategic partnerships, and industry investors who share our vision for a circular, sustainable future. This funding has allowed us to scale our production, expand our materials portfolio, and build the infrastructure needed to support industrial composting.

Innovation today seems to depend a lot on the demand from brands/retailers. There's the Renewcell example, and now it's Natural Fiber Welding. No one wants to pay. Comments, please.
David Roubach: You’ve raised a really important point, and it’s something we see across the sustainability landscape. Innovation often depends on the demand from brands and retailers, but this demand is now being shaped more and more by legislation and consumer expectations. Increasingly, we’re seeing regulations and policies pushing for more sustainable practices. Governments around the world are introducing stricter rules around waste management, recyclability, and the carbon footprint of products. The European Union’s Green Deal, for instance, is pushing for more circularity in industries, while the US is starting to adopt stricter standards for biodegradability and composting. These regulations are making sustainability a business imperative rather than a nice-to-have.

At the same time, we’re seeing digital transparency playing a major role. Tools like digital product passports are becoming increasingly important for tracking the full lifecycle of materials and products. This allows consumers and brands alike to trace exactly where their products come from, how they’re made, and how they can be disposed of responsibly. It’s a win-win: brands can prove their sustainability claims, and consumers can make informed choices.

Ultimately, the convergence of policy, digital innovation, and consumer demand is what will push sustainable materials into the mainstream. Brands that are proactive now—by incorporating innovative materials like ours, supporting take-back systems, and embracing transparency—will not only be ahead of regulatory changes but will also tap into a growing market of conscious consumers. It's not just about the materials anymore, but the full lifecycle and the ecosystem that surrounds them.

A related question: how cost-effective is your innovation?
David Roubach: Our materials may have a higher initial cost, but they offer long-term savings by reducing waste disposal and compliance risks. As production scales, costs will decrease, making them more affordable. Overall, the long-term value and sustainability benefits make our innovation cost-effective.

What are the challenges in scaling up business?
David Roubach: The footwear industry faces significant sustainability challenges, with over 24 billion shoes produced annually. Around 90% of these shoes are made from multiple materials, many of which—like EVA and synthetic rubber—are not recyclable. As a result, most footwear ends up in landfills or incinerated, contributing to long-term environmental damage.

The current recycling infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle the complexity of mixed materials in footwear, and biodegradable alternatives that maintain performance standards are limited. This leaves the industry struggling to find a scalable solution to reduce waste and improve circularity.

For any innovation to be successful, it needs to operate at the mass level, more so one on circularity. What plans in this direction?
David Roubach: For any innovation, especially one focused on circularity, mass adoption is crucial. At Balena, we provide scalable, advanced material solutions across diverse industries, ensuring all stakeholders have access to our composting and recycling infrastructure. Our materials are designed with superior ease of processing, making them ideal for high-performance, scalable production. Factories don’t need to invest in new machinery—our materials are a plug-and-play solution, seamlessly integrating into existing production lines. This makes it easier for brands to scale sustainably without significant additional costs or infrastructure changes.

Balena’s materials are commercially viable due to their seamless integration into existing manufacturing processes. This design enables brands to adopt sustainable alternatives without incurring significant costs from major process changes. Our materials are engineered to be versatile, meeting a wide range of application needs, and are designed to match or exceed the performance of traditional plastics. This ensures that product quality remains high even as companies transition to more circular solutions.

Our commercial viability is further demonstrated through strategic partnerships with key industry players. We have collaborated with global footwear brand Vivobarefoot, established a sole manufacturing partnership with ForEver, and engaged in joint R&D projects with a leading automotive manufacturer and a major global sporting goods producer. These collaborations validate the effectiveness and adaptability of our materials, highlighting their potential for widespread adoption across diverse industries. By leveraging these partnerships, we showcase our materials' ability to deliver both high performance and sustainability, making them a commercially attractive option for brands seeking to innovate while reducing their environmental impact. 

Moving ahead, according to you, what are the trends that are likely to rule both from the consumer and industry points of view? How do you see things shaping up?
David Roubach: Looking ahead, consumer demand for transparency and sustainability will continue to grow, with a focus on biodegradable and circular products. On the industry side, legislation will play a key role, with stricter regulations around waste management, recyclability, and compostability, especially in regions like the EU and the US. Companies will need to adapt to these changing laws and consumer expectations by designing products that are sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable. Digital tools, like product passports, will help track the lifecycle of products, ensuring compliance and boosting consumer trust. The future will be shaped by regulatory pressure, consumer awareness, and technological innovation driving circularity.