Zara, LanzaTech’s Steel Factory Waste Emissions Fashion, Largest Cultured Steak Printed to Date, Adidas, Allbirds on Low-Carbon Cootwear and More: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the Week of December 16th
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Zara clothing made from steel factory waste emissions thanks to LanzaTech, adidas and Allbirds scaling up their low-carbon footwear, Canadian brand launches apple leather handbags, new fruit-based glitter for your holiday festivities, and the largest cultured steak “printed” to date.
In today’s Digest, those fascinating innovations and a few not so fun ones like a suicide machine featuring a 3D printed, biodegradable coffin, and more. READ MORE
#1 Cute dress! Thanks, it used to be steel factory waste emissions
In Spain, popular fast fashion brand Zara has unveiled a party dress partially made from Chinese steel factory emissions.
The material is made by feeding waste gas to microbes developed by LanzaTech. The microbes produce ethanol, which is then processed into monothylene glycol, a precursor to polyester. About 20% of the carbon used to make the dress is sequestered carbon from the waste gas.
Zara parent company Inditex says the dress is the first apparel application to use LanzaTech’s material. Swiss retailer Migros has already used it to make plastic bottles, while Unilever is using it in laundry pods and dish soap in the German market. Another brand is converting using ethylene—made by dehydrating the ethanol—in foam for running shoes. Lululemon is also evaluating LanzaTech’s material for yoga pants.
