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Materials science company PANGAIA, based in London, introduces the fourth capsule within PANGAIA Lab—a limited-edition sweatshirt made in partnership with Japanese biomaterials manufacturing group Spiber Inc., featuring biotech Brewed Protein™ fibers and organic cotton. The company says this is the first time a sweatshirt made from Brewed Protein fibers will be available worldwide. It represents the beginning of a multi-year agreement between PANGAIA and Spiber Inc.
PANGAIA Lab is the discovery platform within the company, bringing advanced technology to lifestyle goods. The partnership with Spiber was born through a mutual mission to find bio-based alternatives to fossil fuel and animal-derived fibers.
“Spiber’s Brewed Protein fibers will disrupt the way we create fabrics through biofabrication and allow brands to transition away from carbon-polluting materials,” says Dr. Amanda Parkes, PANGAIA Chief Innovation Officer
Spiber’s Brewed Protein materials are made from plant-derived biomass and a proprietary fermentation process that produces a biological building block that can be sculpted for different applications. The polymers can be transformed into a variety of forms, from delicate filament fibers with a silky sheen to spun yarns that have cashmere-like softness or the thermal and moisture-wicking properties of wool. Large-scale production is expected to produce significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and require less land and water use than traditional animal-derived fibers such as cashmere.