A technology could reimagine the apparel supply chain with nature as teacher yet again. Walmart and Rubi Laboratories have collaborated to mimic how trees “eat” CO2 to create needed cellulose to grow and the pilot patent-pending process, like trees, captures and converts carbon emissions, spinning the resulting cellulose into carbon-negative, resource-neutral textiles that can be used for clothing and other materials.
- The pilot project explores how carbon emissions could be captured from manufacturers and facilities in the Walmart supply chain and convert them into a garment prototype—with zero waste.
- The manufacturing pilot will examine how Rubi’s technology could be integrated at a larger scale in the Walmart supply chain and test the capture of carbon emissions at some of Walmart’s own facilities.
- The brand pilot will test Rubi’s fibre performance in a prototype garment, with a goal of producing garment samples. If successful, a larger apparel collection could follow and be available in Walmart stores.
THE TECHNOLOGY: Inspired by the most efficient, harmonious pieces of natural systems, the biomimicry for manufacturing in a “symbiotic era”, CO2 emissions destined for the atmosphere are diverted into the Rubi system which captures and converts the CO2 into pure cellulose pulp using enzymes.
- The cellulose pulp is then spun into fibres, yarn, and textile using same processes in industry.
- Rubi uses enzymes “cell-free”, as opposed to using cell-based biomanufacturing, because it allows for 100% of the feedstock CO2 to be converted to product instead of the millions of other wasted cellular products without excess energy required for keeping cells alive under precise conditions.
- Control over the design of Rubi’s cell-free system also allows for improved flux through the pathway for even better efficiency.
- The process takes carbon on a transformational journey, where a CO2 molecule is transformed through a cascade of biochemical reactions, one-by-one shaping and crafting the base molecule that is polymerised into long cellulose chains, which are filtered out easily on the other end of the reactor system, to be finished into textiles.
- The materials in the system required for carbon capture are regenerated in the Rubi process, designed to be cyclical, rather than linear, production.
- The material product from the process plugs directly into existing textile manufacturing processes: the cellulose pulp is dissolved into a thick liquid called dope, extruded through a showerhead-like fixture with tiny holes called a spinneret into solid fibres, then twisted into yarns and woven or knit into textiles.
ABOUT RUBI: Rubi Founders Neeka and Leila Mashouf, twin sisters who grew up in North California, founded Rubi in 2021 after inventing and prototyping the technology in a public biohacking lab, leveraging their deep scientific expertise in materials engineering and bioengineering.
WHAT THEY SAID:
At Rubi, our goal is to ensure a thriving future by restoring Earth’s ecological balance with reimagined supply chains. Walmart’s ability to mobilise positive impact across its supply chain of diverse US partners could be massively impactful in scaling our production and delivering on our commitments. We’re thrilled to partner with them.
— Neeka Mashouf
Co-Founder and CEO
Rubi Labs
Walmart’s sustainability efforts are grounded in our belief that we can use our scale to have a positive impact everywhere we operate, meaning doing more good, not just less harm. Importantly, sustainable should also mean affordable, so we are also focused on prototyping an apparel line that can be produced at scale and widely available to our customers – who seek the right value and price in what they purchase in our stores. We’re confident that, if successful in these pilots, there is a real possibility of creating garments that offer value and contribute to a better environment for everyone – and we think customers will be excited to be a part of that.
— Andrea Albright
Executive Vice-President (Sourcing)
Walmart Inc
