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Circular production process uses industrial fruit waste for vegan leather
CategoriesSustainable News

Circular production process uses industrial fruit waste for vegan leather

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: The development of vegan leather that looks and feels like the most luxurious animal leather, is a major goal for designers. Startup Polybion specialises in organic, vegan leather made in a closed-loop production process. The company uses local sources of industrial fruit waste as the basis for its material and has already identified additional waste streams should demand grow.

Called Celium, Polybion’s leather is grown to a variety of thicknesses. Fungi and bacteria feed on the fruit waste, producing cellulose as a byproduct of that process. The Polybion team then stabilises the growing material at the desired size and depth before treating it to be ready for dying and other bespoke processes. Customisable and strong, Celium can be produced with an infinite variety of grains and embossments, along with varying levels of water resistance.

Already, Polybion has identified enough biowaste nearby to create up to 168 million square feet of the vegan leather each year. From vehicle interiors and footwear to homewares and fashion, large-scale organic leather production could make significant inroads in multiple industries seeking more sustainable resources.  

The scope of new leather options is widening by the day, with creators and innovators in many industries finding new ways of working with surprising ingredients. Springwise has spotted a number of leather alternatives, with two recent innovations being lab-grown leather and a leather bag made from grape skin.

Written by: Keely Khoury

10th June 2022

Email: contact@polybion.bio

Website: polybion.bio

Reference

A vegan social media app gives users the option to own shares in the company
CategoriesSustainable News

A vegan social media app gives users the option to own shares in the company

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: As the world increasingly turns to social media for news and entertainment, a new crop of sustainable startups are looking to tap into their pool of engaged users to further their social purpose. Vegan social media platform abillion is one such startup.

Launched in 2017 as a social platform for connecting people with plant-based food choices, the company is on a mission to make it easy for everyone to be an environmental hero. As the company has developed, it has shifted its focus to helping individuals and businesses become more aware of their choices and proactive about sustainability. It does this by funnelling back cashback rewards from brands to users, who can then direct those funds to their favorite environmental causes.

To date, abillion has given more than $1.4 million (around €1.33 million) to environmental causes, including Sea Shepherd and One Tree Planted. With over 60 recipients to choose from, users can easily support the causes they’re passionate about.

Now, in a first-of-its-kind move for social media, the vegan social app is giving its users the option to own shares in the company. The company says this represents a new concept of ownership and allows users of the platform to take a vested interest in its success. Previously, credits amassed by leaving reviews of vegan products could be redeemed for rewards like discounts or free products. But now those credits will be convertible into shares of abillion.

A democracy of ownership will allow users to not only connect with plant-based food choices, but also to have a say in which companies are featured on the platform. As a result, abillion is positioning itself as a leader in the sustainable food space. And with $1 in review credit equal to a $1 stake in the company when it goes public, abillion is giving its users a chance to profit with purpose.

Other innovations in environmental giving recently spotted by Springwise include a CSR platform that lets companies choose and monitor impact projects, an ad platform that rewards users for watching ads by giving them credit to donate to a cause of their choice, and a search engine that donates its profits to non-profit organisations.

Written By: Katrina Lane

30th May 2022

Website: abillion.com

Contact: abillion.com/contact

Reference

Vegan athletic shoe brand champions social change
CategoriesSustainable News

Vegan athletic shoe brand champions social change

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Reducing reliance on petroleum is a driving force in many industries, and solutions are varied. In the UK, athletic shoe brand Hylo produces a vegan sneaker that looks as good as it feels. Even better, every sale contributes to the social campaign Common Goal. Common Goal uses the power of football to help shape positive social changes. Members of the Common Goal group contribute one per cent of their salary or income to the fund.

Hylo’s sneakers are made in China, with the majority of materials sourced from within 60 kilometres of the factory and all delivered by road, not air. No animal products go into the making of the shoes, and the company makes supply chain and production transparency a priority. Each pair of shoes is numbered, allowing for full traceability of every product. The company also offers a take-back service for shoes that need recycling, and gives every customer that returns a used pair a £10 credit.

In July 2021, Hylo joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition in order to ensure compliance with the leading means of sustainable, caring production. The company’s investment in biogas digesters near its manufacturing hub further offsets its carbon emissions. Having secured nearly €3 million in a recent funding round, the company plans to expand its marketing and product development.

Coffee grounds, carbon emissions, and algae are only three of the other sustainable ingredients Springwise has spotted being used to improve the environmental footprint of the footwear industry.  

Written by: Keely Khoury

6th April 2022

Email: hello@hyloathletics.com

Website: hyloathletics.com

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