NOOSA™ has developed a technology that manufactures textile fiber from corn, sugarcane, and wheat. The fibers are made from polylactic acid (PLA) derived from GMO-free crops and do not compete with the food industry. The protein from these feedstocks is redirected to food production, while NOOSA™ focuses on carbohydrates such as sugar and starch.
Spintex is a UK-based company developing next-generation materials inspired by spider silk. By mimicking nature’s designs, the company aims to transform traditional textile manufacturing, which often relies on petrochemicals, high energy use, and unsustainably sourced raw materials. Spintex’s innovative technology replicates the spider’s unique fiber-spinning process, creating fibers at room temperature by pulling from a liquid protein gel—without the use of harsh chemicals. This process is far more efficient than producing plastic fibers, with water as the only byproduct.
Worn Again Technologies, a UK-based company, is dedicated to revolutionizing textile recycling by creating a circular economy for fabrics. Their innovative process enables textiles to be continuously recycled into new products. Worn again has developed a process that separates, decontaminates, and recaptures raw materials from mixed fibers, such as polyester and cotton, and turns them into virgin-like materials. Using a closed-loop chemical recycling process, Worn Again maximizes material recovery while enhancing environmental sustainability.
EcoaTEX is advancing sustainability in the textile industry with its eco-friendly approach to textile coatings, focusing on transforming natural, renewable resources into sustainable fibers, dyes, and leather alternatives. Their innovative technologies—Eco-finishing, Eco-fiber, and Bio-based Alternative Leather—utilize green chemistry and nanotechnology to reduce environmental impact.
Gefn is an Icelandic chemical engineering startup focused on producing and commercializing green chemicals for various industries. The company’s innovative technology replaces fossil-based feedstocks by converting low-value by-products, such as glycerol and fatty acids, and climate-neutral CO2 captured through direct air capture (DAC) and biomass fermentation into valuable carbonates and esters. These green chemicals serve as specialty chemicals, solvents, and intermediates in applications ranging from cleaning products and cosmetics to pharmaceuticals and batteries.
Woodland Biofuels is a company that converts waste biomass to hydrogen, renewable natural gas, methanol, or ethanol. The company uses gasification, which involves converting biomass feedstock into syngas through a high-temperature, oxygen-limited process. The syngas is then subjected to highly efficient catalytic reactions to produce carbon-negative fuels. Woodland’s technology uses waste biomass from low-cost, non-food sources such as forest, industry, agricultural, and municipal waste as input feedstock.
Sublime Cement™ is a carbon-neutral alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Sublime’s novel cement process uses electrochemistry to extract reactive calcium (Sublime Lime™) and Silicates from abundant raw materials that are then blended into a final cement. In the electrochemical process, entire parts of non-carbonate rocks are converted into cement at ambient temperatures. The process uses carbon-free feedstocks and low temperatures, thus, Sublime Cement does not emit CO2. This cement is a drop-in replacement for OPC, meeting or exceeding construction performance standards.