NextGen Materials

Thailand’s Mahidol University has come up with a leather substitute made from pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) and natural rubber (NR) with claims that it is bio-based, plastic-free and a lower carbon footprint, making it an attractive option for industries seeking sustainable materials.

A team of scientists is working to reduce CO₂ emissions by harnessing the gas as a raw material to produce sustainable, degradable polymers or plastics as a potential alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastic.

The fourth edition of the industry report on NextGen materials by Material Innovation Initiative finds that close to $500 million was invested in the sector in the past year.

A meaningful transition to a circular model has not quite materialised. While almost half of assessed companies have at least one circular fashion programme in place, only 31% have publicly committed to any aspect of the circularity business model. Even fewer are tracking on how much materials from those programmes are actually removed from the waste stream.

Innovation platform Fashion for Good has published a report to help unlock the capital needed to scale up sustainable innovation in the textiles industry. The report reviews the different types of capital available to close the funding gap within the commercialisation stage. 

Whither innovation? Are fabric innovations driving the apparel market? Or, is it the other way around, i.e. demand for certain kinds of apparel is driving fabric innovation? texfash.com talks to some exhibitors who will showcase at Munich Fabric Start as it gets under way 18 July.

Japanese biotechnology startup Spiber has come up with a groundbreaking initiative to propel society towards the creation of fully circular textile products that can be regenerated into an innovative protein material known as ‘Brewed Protein’ at the end of their lifecycle.

Biological science and design company Ecovative has received funding which will be used to increase production of Forager Hides and Foams ahead of new commercial product launches in footwear and apparel.

Even though a 10-year track from 2013-22 shows that capital invested in next-gen material sector continues with an upward momentum, the last year saw funding drop by almost 50%.

Brands, retailers and producers of manmade cellulosic fibres (MMCF) are yet to pull up their socks on NextGen materials. Goals for NextGen production, expressed as a percentage of their total production, remain very low, says CanopyStyle's Hot Button Report.