Ananas Anam, the UK-based company behind Piñatex, a plant-based leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fiber, has entered insolvency proceedings after more than a decade in operation. Are bio-materials where dreams go to die?

Founded in 2013 by Carmen Hijosa, the company was considered an early pioneer in the “next-generation” sustainable materials movement. Piñatex uses fibers extracted from pineapple leaves, an agricultural by-product typically discarded after harvest, to create a non-woven textile marketed as an alternative to animal leather. (Dead Sea cement bricks apply the same concept).

Over the years, Ananas Anam secured collaborations with global brands including Nike, H&M, Inditex and Ecoalf. However, according to UK insolvency filings, the company struggled to achieve sustained commercial scale. And Ananas Anam UK formally entered insolvency proceedings last year. This is a business lesson to hopefuls looking to create an impact business.

According to Companies House filings: 2023 turnover: £240,849 (down from £419,849 in 2022); 2023 loss: £1.14 million. The Spanish subsidiary reported €518,515 in revenue in 2023 (down 20.4% year-on-year) and losses of €1.03 million.

Stella McCartney supports the use of sustainable materials without the risk. A smart business model or a parasitic approach to sustainable fashion?

The same month that Ananas Anam was filing bankruptcy, Stella McCartney was advertising its materials in her latest collections.

The filings state that the company required continued external investment and was unable to generate sufficient operational cash flow to sustain growth. Ananas Anam probably should have raised VC or investment capital to scale and grow its dream to make natural waste a viable bio-material that could work in the machinery of today’s textile operations.

In late 2024, restructuring firm Leonard Curtis was engaged to assess the company’s financial position. Ananas Anam sought new investors, including discussions with produce company Del Monte, which provided interim funding totaling €300,000, followed by an additional €100,000 from existing investor Compagnie Fruitière. Negotiations for acquisition were ultimately unsuccessful. too bad Del Monte didn’t “buy” the idea for its CSR venture

Scaling Remains a Barrier in Next-Gen Materials

Industry observers note that many alternative material startups face similar commercialization hurdles. While leather from mushrooms sounds exciting along with shoes that decompose, brands often test these innovative materials in limited capsule collections, converting pilot projects into large-volume, long-term supply contracts has proven difficult across the sector. That’s what we see with Stella McCartney. She tests new materials on her collections but she doesn’t take an all-in risk approach.

Ananas Anam had attempted to shift its model from direct brand partnerships to collaborations with textile manufacturers, including Textil Santanderina, and explored outsourcing production while remaining focused on fiber supply.

The broader sustainable materials landscape has also shifted in recent years. Textile recycling technologies have accelerated in response to anticipated European Union eco-design regulations emphasizing recycled content. Some companies developing bio-based materials have found it challenging to compete for investment and manufacturing capacity in this evolving regulatory and commercial environment.

From Pioneer to Precedent

Piñatex was among the earliest widely publicized plant-based leather alternatives and played a significant role in raising awareness of agricultural waste valorization within fashion supply chains.

Its insolvency highlights the persistent gap between innovation and industrial-scale deployment in sustainable materials.

Learn from Balena

The next-generation materials sector continues to evolve, but the case of Ananas Anam underscores a recurring challenge: scaling production, securing stable demand, and achieving financial sustainability remain decisive factors in determining which innovations survive beyond the pilot phase. The company might have better taken the B2B approach, which is seen with Balena, a biomaterial company that provides materials for the shoe industry. They have collaborated with VivoBarefoot and Stella McCartney but never risked having to develop and cater to the consumer directly,

The post Pinatex bio-materials files for bankruptcy appeared first on Green Prophet.

Luxury fashion, which not only leads the street, but often follows, is getting into the repurpose market. It started with Levi’s teaching Gen Z how to repair their clothes, Emirates airplane seats into trolleys, and now Coach.

A new collaboration between luxury brand Coach and textile reuse pioneer Bank & Vogue attempts to stitch those two worlds together: high fashion and the global textile waste stream. Textiles from fast fashion brands are filling up landfill. So much of it is poorly made with low-cost materials that the fashion items can’t be reused or reloved. 

“This Coach collection is our love letter to denim and to American heritage pieces that only get better with time,” says Stuart Vevers, Creative Director at Coach.

“Made with post-consumer materials and re-crafted with intention, each piece is truly one of a kind, shaped by the stories it already holds and the ones you’ll add. There’s an honesty in these pieces; lived-in, love-worn, and full of character. Perfectly imperfect in all the ways we value. Guided by our imagination — and our commitment to reducing our impact on the planet.”

Developed in partnership with Bank & Vogue, a global leader in textile reuse and recycling, the capsule transforms reclaimed denim into distinctive, one-of-a-kind designs. Each garment embraces visible character and individuality, reinforcing Coach’s ongoing commitment to circular fashion and responsible design practices.

And this is where the story gets interesting for sustainability watchers: Bank & Vogue isn’t a marketing construct. It’s an actual node in the global used-clothing economy.

As co-founder of the Bank & Vogue family of companies, Steven Bethell has been a thought leader and pioneer in the post-consumer textile space for over 25 years. He has dedicated his work life to innovative and relevant solutions to the crisis of stuff. Steven and his team have traveled to over 30 countries working extensively amongst the robust second-hand markets of the world.

Steven is also the brainchild behind the largest remanufacturing plant in the world, where the circular economy for textiles is brought to life. Taking post-consumer waste and transforming it into relevant products, Steven works with big brands to help them bring their sustainability platforms to the next level.

Translation: the jeans you once donated to charity may travel continents before becoming luxury goods. Circular fashion isn’t just a design choice — it’s logistics, sorting, labour, and global material flows.

The Coach RePurposed capsule is now available in Coach stores and online.

The post Luxury meets the textile waste stream with Coach – Bank & Vogue appeared first on Green Prophet.

The fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters, with synthetic dyes playing a major role in environmental destruction. Every year, textile dyeing releases over 200,000 tons of toxic chemicals into waterways, polluting drinking water, harming aquatic life, and devastating ecosystems. Conventional dyeing processes require vast amounts of water, contributing to severe water shortages in many regions. Meanwhile, synthetic dyes are often made from petrochemicals, leading to increased carbon emissions and long-term soil degradation.

The impact of synthetic dyes on individuals is equally alarming. Many dyes contain carcinogenic and hormone-disrupting chemicals, which can lead to skin irritations, respiratory issues, and allergic reactions for both workers and consumers. Prolonged exposure has been linked to neurological damage and reproductive health problems, making it clear that the dyeing industry’s toxic practices are harming not just the planet but also human well-being.

As consumers and brands alike search for sustainable alternatives, one company is leading the charge in transforming the dyeing industry—Algaeing. This innovative company harnesses the power of algae to create eco-friendly, biodegradable dyes, offering a groundbreaking solution to the toxic world of textile coloration.

To scale its impact, Algaeing has partnered with leading fashion brands and textile manufacturers, including Organic Basics. In collaboration with Algaeing, Organic Basics introduced the world’s first undergarment collection dyed with biodegradable algae-based dye. This collection emphasizes sustainability by utilizing algae-derived dyes that are free from harmful chemicals and pesticides.

The Problem with Synthetic Dyes

Synthetic dyes have been the standard in the fashion industry for decades, but they come with a heavy environmental and human cost. The production and use of these dyes contribute to:

Water Pollution: The textile industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater pollution. Many dyes contain heavy metals, carcinogens, and toxic chemicals that seep into rivers and oceans, affecting both marine life and human health.

High Water Consumption: Dyeing fabrics can consume up to 200 liters of water per kilogram of fabric, a staggering amount that worsens global water scarcity.

Carbon Emissions: The production of synthetic dyes relies on fossil fuels, releasing greenhouse gases that drive climate change.

Harm to Workers: Textile dye workers are frequently exposed to harmful chemicals, leading to respiratory diseases, skin disorders, and even cancer.

Microplastic Pollution: Many synthetic dyes are used in polyester and synthetic textiles, contributing to microplastic pollution in the environment.

With fashion brands and policymakers increasingly prioritizing sustainability, the industry is in desperate need of an eco-friendly alternative. Enter Algaeing—a company proving that nature itself holds the key to cleaner fashion.

What is Algaeing?

Algaeing is a pioneering biotechnology company that develops and commercializes algae-based dyes and fibers. Instead of relying on synthetic chemicals, the company uses algae—a natural, fast-growing organism that requires minimal resources—to create safe, renewable color solutions. Their patented process not only replaces toxic dyes but also reduces overall environmental impact across the supply chain.

Why Algae-Based Dyes Work

Algaeing’s innovative process offers several advantages over conventional dyeing methods:

1. Zero Toxic Waste: Unlike synthetic dyes that release toxic residues, algae dyes are completely biodegradable and safe for ecosystems.
2. Minimal Water Usage: Traditional textile dyeing requires excessive amounts of water, while Algaeing’s process reduces water consumption by up to 80%.
3. Carbon-Negative Production: Algae naturally absorb carbon dioxide during growth, making the dyeing process carbon-negative and helping combat climate change.
4. Biodegradable and Skin-Friendly: Algaeing’s dyes are free from harmful chemicals, making them hypoallergenic, non-toxic, and safe for both workers and consumers.
5. Efficient and Scalable: Unlike plant-based dyes, which often struggle with consistency and scalability, Algaeing’s dyes can be produced reliably at a commercial scale.

The Future of Sustainable Fashion

The fashion industry has long been resistant to change, but the urgency of the climate crisis is pushing brands to innovate. Algaeing is partnering with leading textile manufacturers to integrate algae dyes into mainstream fashion, offering a viable alternative that meets both environmental and commercial demands.

With consumers demanding greater transparency and sustainability, brands that adopt Algaeing’s technology can dramatically reduce their carbon footprint and lead the movement toward ethical fashion. As governments worldwide implement stricter regulations on water pollution and carbon emissions, companies that fail to transition to sustainable solutions risk falling behind.

The toxic reality of synthetic dyes is no longer acceptable. With the planet facing an environmental crisis, the fashion industry must embrace innovations like Algaeing’s algae-based dye technology. By shifting away from petrochemical dyes and investing in biodegradable, renewable solutions, we can protect our water, reduce emissions, and create a cleaner, more sustainable future for fashion.

Algaeing is proving that color doesn’t have to come at the cost of the planet. With algae leading the way, the future of textiles is not just green—it’s regenerative.

About Algaeing

Algaeing was founded in Israel by Renana Krebs, a fashion industry veteran who saw the urgent need for sustainable innovation in textiles. The company has since gained international recognition for its eco-friendly dyeing solutions proving that algae-based alternatives can be both commercially viable and environmentally responsible. With ongoing research and partnerships, Algaeing is set to lead the charge toward a cleaner, more sustainable fashion industry.

As of 2025, Algaeing has raised approximately $4.84 million in funding from investors such as Iron Nation Venture Capital, Capital Nature, Purple Orange Ventures, Katapult Ocean, and Closed Loop Partners via pitchbook.com. The company operates with a dedicated team, including co-founders Renana Krebs (CEO) and Dr. Oded Krebs (CTO), along with Ariel Romano serving as CFO and Chief Commercial Officer.

The global textile dyes market was valued at USD 10.68 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 16.08 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period via polarismarketresearch.com. Algaeing’s innovative solutions position it well to capture a share of this expanding market, especially as demand for sustainable and eco-friendly dyes continues to rise. The company also produced a natural ink.

10 Israeli companies innovating with algae

Israelis have a fascinating with algae, growing it in vats in the desert. Here are 10 Israeli companies or their affiliates leveraging algae in their innovations:

1. Algatech: Located in Kibbutz Ketura, Algatech specializes in cultivating microalgae to produce natural astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant used in supplements and cosmetics.

2. Brevel: This startup focuses on producing neutral-tasting, highly functional algae-based proteins, aiming to enhance plant-based dairy alternatives.

3. BarAlgae: Founded in 2018, BarAlgae utilizes advanced technology to cultivate various microalgae species for applications in aquaculture, nutrition, cosmetics, and more.

4. Univerve: Based in Tel Aviv, Univerve is developing cost-effective systems to convert algae into renewable biofuels, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.

5. AlgaHealth: This biotech company pioneers the development of microalgae-based nutraceuticals, focusing on producing high-quality fucoxanthin for health and wellness products.

6. Yemoja: Specializing in cultivating unique microalgae strains, Yemoja provides natural ingredients for the cosmetics and food industries, including algae-derived components that enhance plant-based meat products.

7. SimpliiGood: Innovating in the food sector, SimpliiGood creates algae-based meat alternatives, such as chicken schnitzel analogs, offering nutritious and sustainable protein sources.

8. Vaxa: Founded by Dr. Isaac Berzin (who founded the failed but great idea of GreenFuel), Vaxa operates an algae farm in Iceland, producing omega-3 supplements and protein powders from algae, contributing to sustainable nutrition solutions.

9. Seambiotic: Collaborating with global partners, Seambiotic cultivates marine microalgae using CO₂ emissions, aiming to produce biofuels and nutraceuticals while reducing greenhouse gases.

10. GreenFuel Technologies: Founded by Israeli scientist Isaac Berzin, GreenFuel developed processes to grow algae using emissions from fossil fuels, producing biofuels from the harvested algae.

The company is not alone in the space. Living Ink creates black dye and colors from algae. Based in the United States, Living Ink develops environmentally safe and sustainable color pigments derived from algae. Their flagship product, Algae Black, replaces petroleum-based carbon black in various applications, including printing inks and coatings.

Mounid, from Sweden, is developing algae-based inks for textile dyeing. Their innovative approach seeks to replace synthetic dyes with natural, biodegradable alternatives, addressing environmental concerns associated with traditional dyeing methods.

Cellana from Hawaii develops algae-based bioproducts, including pigments and specialty chemicals. Their focus on sustainable algae cultivation supports various applications, such as nutritional supplements and bioenergy.

::Algaeing

The post The Textile Industry’s Dirty Secret: How Algaeing is Revolutionizing Sustainable Fashion appeared first on Green Prophet.

Imagine a sweater that powers electronics to monitor your health or charge your mobile phone while running. This development faces challenges because of the lack of materials that both conduct electricity stably and are well suited for textiles. Now a research group, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, presents an ordinary silk thread, coated with a conductive plastic material, that shows promising properties for turning textiles into electricity generators. Imagine a dress you are wearing that lights up the night – literally!

Thermoelectric textiles convert temperature differences, for example between our bodies and the surrounding air, into an electrical potential. This technology can be of great benefit in our everyday lives and in society. Connected to a sensor, the textiles can power these devices without the need for batteries. These sensors can be used to monitor our movements or measure our heartbeat.

Since the textiles must be worn close to the body, the materials used in them must meet high demands on safety and flexibility. The silk thread that the researchers tested has a coating made of a conducting polymer. It is a plastic material with a chemical structure that makes the material electrically conductive and well adapted to textiles.

“The polymers that we use are bendable, lightweight and are easy to use in both liquid and solid form. They are also non-toxic,” says Mariavittoria Craighero, who is a doctoral student at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology, and first author of a recently published study.

Enhanced stability and conductivity

The method used to make the electrically conductive thread is the same as used in previous studies within the same research project.  Previously, the thread contained metals to maintain its stability in contact with air. Since then, advances have been made to manufacture the thread with only organic (carbon-based) polymers. In the current study, the researchers have developed a new type of thread with enhanced electrical conductivity and stability.

Related: Thermoelectric ink changes on this stamp

“We found the missing piece of the puzzle to make an optimal thread – a type of polymer that had recently been discovered. It has outstanding performance stability in contact with air, while at the same time having a very good ability to conduct electricity. By using polymers, we don’t need any rare earth metals, which are common in electronics,” says Mariavittoria Craighero.

To show how the new thread can be used in practice, the researchers manufactured two thermoelectric generators – a button sewn with the thread, and a piece of textile with sewn-in threads. When they placed the thermoelectric textiles between a hot and a cold surface, they could observe how the voltage increased on the measuring instrument.

The effect depended on the temperature difference and the amount of conductive material in the textile.  As an example, the larger piece of fabric showed about 6 millivolts at a temperature difference of 30 degrees Celsius. In combination with a voltage converter, it could theoretically be used to charge portable electronics via a USB connector.  The researchers have also been able to show that the thread’s performance is maintained for at least a year. It is also machine washable.

“After seven washes, the thread retained two-thirds of its conducting properties. This is a very good result, although it needs to be improved significantly before it becomes commercially interesting,” says Mariavittoria Craighero.

Can meet functions that these textiles require

The thermoelectric fabric and button cannot be produced efficiently outside the lab environment today. The material must be made and sewn in by hand, which is time-consuming. Just sewing it into the demonstrated fabric required four days of needlework. But the researchers see that the new thread has great potential and that it would be possible to develop an automated process and scale up.

“We have now shown that it is possible to produce conductive organic materials that can meet the functions and properties that these textiles require. This is an important step forward. There are fantastic opportunities in thermoelectric textiles and this research can be of great benefit to society,” says Christian Müller, Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology and research leader of the study.

The post Swedish silk turns clothes into charging stations with your body heat appeared first on Green Prophet.

Sonovia is taking the textile industry into the future as we speak, developing the newest way of production in fashion. I spoke with Shay Hershcovich, the co-founder of Sonovia: “It takes eleven-thousand liters of water to produce one pair of jeans,” Shay says. Another problem: the enormous amounts of wastewater dumped due to unsustainable textile production has turned the Jian River in China red from dye.

Shay and the rest of his team at Sonovia are working long and hard to revolutionize the textile industry. By breaking away from outdated methods of dyeing and finishing manufacturing practices, Sonovia aims to create a sustainable future for textile production. According to Sonovia, they claim to “leave the most significant mark on the textile industry since its inception and to enable humanity to enjoy the textiles that surround our lives with a clearer conscience.”

Developed originally at Bar Ilan University outside of Tel Aviv, Sonovia is expanding the new technology of using ultrasound soundwaves to cut down emissions in the textile industry. Via the use of physics, Sonovia is harnessing the power of ultrasonic cavitation jet-streams to impregnate textiles with color. Like “chemistry guns”, they call it, the technology works to generate cavitation bubbles that implode and generate 1,000 meter/sec jet-streams.

Related: She puts consciousness in her textiles using natural indigo

The machine is called Sonofix, manufactured and supplied by their partners at Bruckner Trockentechnik GmbH. Sonovia affirms this machinery to have breakthrough durability and performance, non-toxic chemistry, and 100% agnostic to fiber type, as well as being cost competitive.

In addition, Sonovia has other partners all over the world, including companies all over Asia, and in Germany and Italy. The French Luxury group, Kering, which owns big brands such as Gucci and Saint Laurent even decided to integrate Sonovia’s technology into their production methods for the withseen future.

According to a study produced by Made2flow, a company that specializes in testing the environmental impacts the textile industry has, Sonovia’s technology reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 60%, 85% in water use, 99% in polluting wastewater, and 90% in land utilization, compared to the traditional industrial dyeing process of jeans.

Their technology has been tested in labs around the world, including Hohenstein, VisMederi Textyle, Microbe Investigations Switzerland (MIS), and Bureau Veritas.

Sonovia’s products include an innovative and sustainable means of indigo dyeing and odor-controlling technology. The current project D(y)enim, is the indigo dyeing system that uses indigo pigment dispersion to save water and be more eco-friendly.

Related: the secrets of Israel’s holy blue

Unlike the traditional method, D(y)enim only includes 2 dye baths, no redox/oxidation dyeing mechanism, and results in no hydrosulfite waste. There is no need for merceization/scouring prep process before dyeing or need for multiple wash baths after the dyeing baths passage. In their recent study, the production of 1 pair of jeans using their technology saved 9.8% of water, equivalent to 160 days of drinking water per person on average.

In addition, the study concluded that 4% of GHG was saved, equivalent to 12 Km driven by an average private car. And lastly, it saved 1.4% of land use, equivalent to 249 grams of flour produced from equal land use. 

As Sonovia continues to expand internationally, its mission is to serve as the face of sustainable textile production is not bleak. The Future of Sonovia looks propitious, especially as the climate crisis continues to demand change in our society. With the immense research proving Sonovia’s technology massively saves enormous amounts of water, CO2, and land-use, as well as being more cost-effective, companies around the world continue to be inspired to adopt Sonovia’s technology. The company has even been listed in the Tel Aviv stock exchange (TASE: SONO).

To learn more about Sonovia, check out their website. 

The post Sonovia’s denim starts with a sustainable, ultrasonic dye appeared first on Green Prophet.