Cultured Supply

09/18/2023

🌊🌿 OCEANIUM is transforming farmed seaweed into quality, natural ingredients for beauty, food, and materials. Their vision is centered around integrating seaweed into our daily lives for better human and planetary health.

🌎 With pressing challenges like food security remaining a global concern, and the unsettling realization that many of our materials as well as food and beauty products contain harmful, toxic ingredients, Oceanium steps up with their platform, leveraging their marine science expertise to offer nature-powered solutions.

🌱🌊 Their unique biorefinery process ensures every ounce of the seaweed is utilized. What emerges are products that are not only better for the environment but also superior in quality: Marine-safe biobased packaging to reduce waste, high-nutrient proteins that address food security, and beauty products devoid of harmful toxins. With their range, Oceanium caters to diverse industries, showcasing the vast potential of seaweed.

⛵🌊 From sourcing to the end product, Oceanium collaborates closely with coastal communities, fueling local economies while ensuring seaweed is sourced sustainably. It's not just about creating innovative products, but also fostering a symbiotic relationship with people and the planet.

🏆 Their work has gained recognition as they were recently chosen as a finalist for the Louis Dreyfus Company Climate Resilience Price 2023 and for the Global Change Award 2023 by H&M Foundation. Additionally, their innovative solutions have been highlighted by the World Economic Forum while Karen Scofield Seal, Oceanium's Co-founder and CEO, has been celebrated for her leadership with the V***e Clicquot Bold Future Award 2023.

🤝 Oceanium has ambitious plans on the horizon. With partnerships like Seaweed for Europe and the United Nations Global Compact Seaweed Manifesto, they are laying the groundwork for a future enabled by nature. Positioned between B2B customers and farmers, they're looking forward to a transparent value chain by introducing product batch tracing and emphasizing partnerships with value-aligned, licensed farmers.

🌎 By creating high-performance biobased ingredients, Oceanium aims to drive seaweed’s impact throughout the entire value chain.

✨💚 Let's celebrate folks like Oceanium creating products for better human and planetary health. Share this post with your friends and colleagues to spread the word!

🌊🚀 Do you know of other incredible products in the algae space? We'd love to hear from you. Please tag any person, project, or company you know who's making a difference with seaweed or algae-based solutions.

09/15/2023

🌊🌌 Leticia Credidio is turning seaweed into comfort, creating luxurious sleepwear and loungewear. Seamlessly blending biodegradable materials and well-being, her collections are designed specifically to unleash the power of sleep, self-care, and slow living.

🍃🎨 Inspired by the beauty of nature, Credidio's designs reflect her admiration for the night sky, oceans, and flora. Her Ocean collection, a tribute to our oceans and coral reefs, not only honors the environment but actively contributes to its preservation by utilizing sustainably sourced seaweed in her fabrics.

🌱👘 From her Winter Birds collection, showcasing certified organic cotton, to the innovative Ocean collection, which employs Seacell™ by smartfiber AG — a blend of sustainable seaweed and tree cellulose — each piece speaks volumes about beauty, comfort, and responsibility.

🔍🧵 Prioritizing transparent supply chains and responsible manufacturing, Credidio's creations are intricately hand-crafted by women-led ateliers in Italy and London, with every step ensuring zero-waste and fair-trade practices. Beyond the luxurious feel of materials, she also incorporates plastic-free packaging, crafted from discarded fabric collected from a recycling center in London. It's this blend of innovation, focus on wellbeing, and an aim to protect the natural world that truly defines her brand's ethos.

🏆🌟 Leticia Credidio's work has earned her notable recognitions including PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) "Designer to Watch" in 2019 and being named an "East London Innovator" by Here East Her commitment to craftsmanship for human and planetary health speaks through these achievements.

🌐🌜 Venturing into the future, Credidio's dream lies in partnering with international hotels to amplify the significance of sleep and well-being. Every garment narrates a story — one that fuses art, nature, and sustainability, urging us to reimagine fashion and our connection to the environment.

🌏 🛏️ Leticia Credidio's designs are deeply rooted in nature, echoing her commitment to both the environment and the transformative power of sleep.

09/11/2023

🦋🔬 Checkerspot uses microalgae to produce high-performance ingredients and materials for everyday products. Based in Alameda and Salt Lake City, they're designing with biology to produce high-quality materials at a molecular level.

🌎 The harsh reality? Millions of tons of petroleum-based products pollute our environment yearly, posing significant challenges to our climate. But Checkerspot's innovative materials, are showing the power of nature-based alternatives.

🔬🌿 Enter Checkerspot's unique WING™ Platform. A vertically integrated system that optimizes microalgae to produce new molecular building blocks which are transformed into materials with high performance properties. Their range of materials encompasses Algae Oil, tailored for both industry and food; the AlgalCast, an algae-based thermoset ideal for products needing strength and flexibility; the AlgalFoam, a dense algae foam employed in ski cores; the miDori® bioWick textile finish, enhancing moisture management in active wear; and the SpiralMade®, a recycled composite enhancing strength in sports equipment ⛷‍️🎿.

💚 Their vision doesn't stop at innovative products. As a committed B Corp, Checkerspot is dedicated to social and environmental responsibility. They harness renewable energy sources and clean processes, ensuring no harmful chemicals are released when producing their products.

🏆 Making waves in the design community, Checkerspot’s Pollinator™ Kit, a biobased resin kit for product designers, recently won the SXSW Innovation Award in the Design category. A testament to their dedication to creating impactful, renewable products.

🤝 Furthermore, with partnerships with companies and organizations like Beyond Surface Technologies AG, PANGAIA, DIC Corporation, Gore Innovation Center in Silicon Valley, along with their flagship WNDR® Alpine brand, Checkerspot is setting the stage for a future dominated by bio-based products.

🌏 By intertwining nature with advanced materials science, Checkerspot is crafting a future where high-performance, quality materials benefit both people and the planet.

✨💚 Celebrate folks like Checkspot using nature to create better products. Share this post with your friends and colleagues to spread the word!

🌱🚀 Know other folks building new, innovative products in the algae space? Tag them! We'd love to hear from companies making a difference with algae-based solutions.

🟢 Follow Cultured Supply for more insights into companies shaping the future with bio-based solutions!

🟢 Visit culturedsupply.com to discover and source biobased chemicals, ingredients, materials, and finished products.

09/08/2023

🌊👗 Charlotte McCurdy is turning algae into fashion, crafting bioplastic garments designed for modern living standards. She leverages the power of marine macro-algae to create carbon-negative fashion items, a unique combination of style and circularity.

🌍💡 Inspired by the potential of biobased materials, McCurdy's work is a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable fashion industry. By using algae-based bioplastic, she's replacing conventional materials with regenerative alternatives that capture CO2.

🌱👚 From her signature translucent algae raincoat to sequined dresses, McCurdy's fashion items are innovative applications of biobased materials. Each piece not only serves a fashion statement but also contributes to carbon sequestration, a powerful move towards a better future for human and planetary health.

🧪🎨 McCurdy's process begins with growing marine macroalgae. Utilizing a unique method, she transforms this carbon-rich biomass into a bioplastic through heat and molds, forming sheets that are crafted into pieces like sequins for her algae-based dress. Additionally, she has also used PYRATEX's SeaCell, a blend of seaweed and bamboo fibers. This method shifts fashion materials from being extractive to being additive, while also being participants in climate change mitigation.

🏅🎨 She has received multiple awards including the 2019 Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards. Her work has been showcased in world-renowned exhibitions, such as the Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial, the Design Museum, and the Future Fabrics Expo. Additionally, she has collaborated with esteemed designers such as 3.1 Phillip Lim.

🚀⏳ McCurdy's future work lies in further exploring and expanding the potential of biobased materials. Her previous designs are just starting points as she aims to create a broader range of products using unique methods. Instead of expecting people to give up modern living standards, she's seeking ways to adapt those standards to be more sustainable and carbon-negative.

🌎💬 At the core of her artistic narrative is a powerful message: We can transform the CO2 harming our planet into beautiful, functional, and sustainable materials.

09/06/2023

What's so cool about algae-based ink that even Billie Eilish wears it on her shoes? Let’s find out! 🌿💧👟

🎨🖊️ Inks, from ancient cave drawings to modern uses, historically came from natural sources. Today's inks rely on synthetic dyes and petroleum-based ingredients. However, these synthetic inks pose health and environmental concerns, and supply chain disruptions have led to industry challenges.

🌿💧 Enter algae-based inks. Composed of 16% algae cells, 63% water, they're biodegradable and safe for drains. They meet industry standards for various applications, from fashion to printing, and are favored for transparency and performance.

Advantages of algae-based inks include being:
🍀 Safe & biodegradable
🛡️ UV resistant with a negative carbon footprint
🖤 Darker hues than traditional inks
🔄 Easily replaceable in existing systems

Major brands like Coach, Patagonia, Tommy Hilfiger parent PVH, Gucci parent Kering, and most recently Nike with a sneaker designed in collaboration with Billie Eilish have adopted Algae Ink.

Some companies leading the way in algae-based inks are:

🎨🌿 Living Ink: Based in Colorado, they produce algae-based inks suitable for textiles, packaging, and cosmetics.

🎨🌿 Seaweedtama biopac Indonesia: This Indonesian company has developed edible and biodegradable inks from seaweed, designed for sheet printing and fabrics.

🎨🌿 MOUNID: Founded by designer Ida Näslund, Mounid focuses on algae ink formulation for textiles, emphasizing digital coloring techniques.

🌱💪 Algae-based inks signal a return to nature, showcasing that improving environmental and human well-being can align seamlessly with performance. As for the future of algae inks, the challenge isn't as much about the technology but the economics involved. The initiatives from big brands in integrating algae inks into select collections is paving the way for other industry. The task ahead is ensuring that this transition isn't confined to select products but becomes a standard.

09/04/2023

🌊🌿 Sway harnesses the power of seaweed to develop quality, sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging. They are fusing nature's wonders with advanced materials science to develop high performance, seaweed-based packaging.

🌎 Every year, a staggering 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide with less than 10% being recycled, but Sway offers an alternative.

🛍️ 🌊 They employ a unique technology that melts seaweed into resins, transforming them into bioplastics for various applications like bags, wrappers, and pouches. Their range of products cater to several industries, from apparel and home goods to cosmetics and food. The packaging comes in an array of vibrant colors, demonstrating that sustainability and creativity can go hand in hand.

🌱 So how do they bring their vision to life? It all begins with cultivating seaweed on coastlines around the world by working with local farmers. The harvested seaweed is then converted into high-performance resins that integrate seamlessly with existing plastic manufacturing infrastructure.

🏆 As recognition of their leading role in sustainable packaging, Sway recently won the TOM FORD Plastic Innovation Prize, in partnership with Lonely Whale. Furthering their mission, they've also partnered with brands Graf Lantz and Ales Grey to sustainably package greeting cards and shoes.

🌏 By merging the powers of the ocean with materials science, Sway offers a new approach to packaging. They're deeply committed to regeneration, circularity, and equity, working to create better products for both people and the planet. Be part of this change, join their journey and help build a future in sync with nature.

💚 Let's celebrate innovators creating products for better human and planetary health. Share this post with your friends and colleagues to spread the word!

🌱🚀 Do you know of other incredible products in the algae space? Please tag any person, project, or company you know who's making a difference with algae-based solutions.

08/23/2023

The World Bank's 2023 Global Seaweed New and Emerging Markets report unveils seaweed's broad potential across various sectors. Predicted to grow by $11.8 billion by 2030, seaweed's impact will span from green agriculture to novel construction materials. Here's a quick breakdown:

🌱 Biostimulants: Potential to hit $1.8B by 2030, powered by sustainable farming. Challenges: user education and product reputation.

🐄 Animal Feed: Projected at $1.122B by 2030, seaweed offers cost-efficient solutions. Key hurdles: quality consistency and nutritional research.

🐶 Pet Food: Estimated $1.078B market by 2030 due to organic demand. Issues: product uniqueness and supply chain stability.

🌍 Methane Supplements: Could reach $306M by 2030 for emission reduction. Challenge: consistent supply.

💊 Nutraceuticals: Potential $3.9B by 2030. Hurdles: prolonged trials and consistent supply.

🌿🥩 Alt Proteins: Seaweed proteins might tap $448M by 2030. Hurdles: competition and consistent protein quality.

👗 Fabrics: Potential $862M by 2030 for sustainable textiles. Issues: desired material attributes and pricing.

♻️ Bioplastics: Projected $733M by 2030, aligned with eco-friendly trends. Challenges: integration and cost-efficient production.

🏥💊 Pharmaceuticals: Marine pharma valued at $2.56B in 2022, expecting 5-10% CAGR until 2030. Hurdles: regulatory and trial durations.

🏗️ Construction: $1.4B potential by 2030 for green building. Issues: industry adaptation and seaweed's inherent qualities.

Seaweed's future looks promising but isn't without challenges, such as biomass supply, cost, and regulations. Still, its ecological benefits and potential for job creation underscore its market appeal.

Full report: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2023/08/16/new-farmed-seaweed-markets-could-reach-11-8-billion-by-2030

07/14/2023

As biomanufacturing gains prominence in various industries the role of bioreactors becomes increasingly crucial. In an insightful article on Grow by Ginkgo, Katia Tarasava explores the need to redesign bioreactors with biology in mind going through the limitations of current industrial bioreactors designed for the chemical industry, the adoption of non-model organisms in biomanufacturing, and the unique advantages of biofilm-forming microbes.

Learn more about the future of bioreactors and their impact on biomanufacturing ➡️

The bioreactor was designed for the chemistry industry. What if we redesigned it with biology in mind?

07/13/2023

We're excited to share that our founder Jordan Wolfe recently joined an insightful conversation with Alex Shirazi on The Future Food Show where they dive into:

🔄 🌱 The need to transition from centralized and oil-based production to more local and nature-based systems of production.
➡️ 👥 The power of direct relationships with customers and the ability to incorporate regenerative ingredients into supply chains.
🎯 📈 Overcoming the challenges of scalability and cost in the foodtech industry.
🚀 🌿 The role of Cultured Supply in facilitating a bottoms-up movement for system-level change.

Don't miss out on this thought-provoking episode! Tune in to learn more 👇.

https://futurefoodshow.com/2023/07/10/jordan-wolfe-of-cultured-supply/

Jordan is the founder of Cultured Supply, a B2B purchasing platform for the bioeconomy. Starting with food and beverage ingredients and products, Cultured Supply is focused on helping companies building more regenerative and localized supply chains direct from the source. Learn more at https://cu