Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.
Huha x District Ventures
District Ventures Capital, a venture capital fund focused on investing in innovative consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, led a $20 million investment in Huha, an intimates brand making underwear that is better for women’s health (see: not polyester).
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Huha was founded in 2019 by Alexa Suter, inspired by her own health issues, attributed to the barrier—and eventual bacteria—that synthetic fabrics (like polyester and nylon) create around “sensitive areas.”
“My vision was to support—rather than compromise—women’s comfort and wellness,” said Suter. “With District Ventures’ resources behind us, we’re now ready to amplify that vision and bring Huha to more markets and consumers.”
Huha shared plans to use the investment for continued product innovation, building category leadership and expansion into new markets.
And the investment, for what it’s worth, was born by way of season 18 of the TV series “Dragons’ Den.” Suter and Dickinson struck a deal that became the biggest investment in the show’s 20-year history. The investment is the District’s most extensive to date and was supported by co-investors such as Export Development Canada (EDC), a government-funded export credit agency that provides financial and risk-related services to help domestic companies export and grow internationally.
“Alexa has developed a brand that resonates with consumers by creating underwear for modern health and comfort,” said Arlene Dickinson, founder and general partner of District Ventures Capital. “We see tremendous potential in her vision and impressive momentum.”
The Vancouver label is most known for its “mineral undies” line. This “huha-loving underwear” features a seam-free gusset infused with zinc oxide—known for reducing odor and bacteria. The body is made with 90 percent Tencel Modal and 10 percent spandex. In comparison, the lining comprises 98 percent Tencel Lyocell and 2 percent spandex. As the liner is knitted with pharmaceutical-grade zinc oxide, the brand clearly discloses that those with an allergy or sensitivity to the antimicrobial compound should steer clear.
“This is an exciting milestone for the brand,” Suter said. “The investment validates the demand for products that are made with innovative fibers that are healthy for our skin.”
Carbios
Since industrializing with a demonstration plant in 2021, Carbios has primarily focused its development efforts on diverse packaging and textile solutions—until now.
The French biotechnology firm just signed two multi-year commercial agreements with major players in a novel sector—the beverage industry—for the supply of recycled polyethylene terephthalate, more commonly known as rPET.
“These new agreements confirm the robustness of our technology and the attractiveness of our offer for strategic sectors such as beverages,” said Vincent Kamel, CEO of Carbios. “They also comfort our strategy of sector diversification.”
As part of this strategic expansion, the new commercial agreements are (also) part of the pre-commercialization process for the company’s future, industrial-scale enzymatic recycling site. Carbios said this brings the current level of pre-sales to approximately 50 percent of the site’s maximum production capacity.
Negotiations with other partners are ongoing to reach a pre-commercialization level of 70 percent of the Longlaville-based PET biorecycling plant’s maximum capacity—a threshold Carbios said constitutes “one of the conditions for obtaining additional non-dilutive funding necessary to resume construction” of the French facility.
Plus, a reported 12.5-million-euro ($14.6 million) grant has been secured as well, further pushing progress toward the pre-sales threshold needed to keep building—and bringing the total amount of public funding secured to roughly $49.3 million.
Samsara Eco
Australian biotechnology company Samsara Eco has teamed with the European Outdoor Group (EOG) to expand access to high-performance, virgin-identical recycled nylon for outdoor brands through the Nylon Materials Collective initiative.
“Outdoor brands inherently have a respect for the planet; they understand the importance of establishing a circular, low-carbon future so we can all continue enjoying the beauty of the outdoors,” said Sarah Cook, chief commercial officer of Samsara Eco. “We want to do everything we can to help more brands access our materials so we can all enjoy the benefit from going circular.”
Leaning into collective demand, brands in the Collective will gain access to recycled materials through pooled volumes. They can also collaborate with supply chain partners, if desired—what the partners said can “help to reduce logistical complexities and speed up adoption and implementation.”
“The Nylon Materials Collective will make it easier for outdoor brands of any size, who might have smaller materials requirements or who typically buy at a fabric level to access and seamlessly integrate virgin-identical recycled materials into their future product lines,” Cook said.
As the startup uses enzyme-based technology to recycle plastics at its Jerrabomberra facility, Samsara Eco will supply recycled nylon through its EosEco platform. This platform uses AI-crafted enzymes to break down mixed plastics into recycled raw materials. The plant houses expanded enzyme production facilities—therefore letting Samsaran Eco further build out its proprietary enzyme discovery and development platform to include recycling a broader range of plastics.
For the EOG—which represents approximately 150 brands, retailers, associations and other organizations—the partnership is a practical step toward the group’s vision of supporting the sector in doing business “in a way that gives back more than it takes,” per the partners.
“The Nylon Materials Collective represents an opportunity for our members to work together with innovators like Samsara Eco to unlock access to recycled nylon and accelerate the industry’s transition to circular materials,” said Katy Stevens, head of sustainability and corporate social responsibility for EOG. “By pooling demand and expertise, we’re making it easier for brands of all sizes to integrate high-performance, recycled materials into their collections and take meaningful steps toward a more sustainable outdoor industry.”
Allied Feather + Down
Allied Feather + Down, along with recycled fishing net purveyor NetPlus, fabric brand Pertex and “design for disassembly” developer Resortecs, are joining forces with the Swedish backcountry ski apparel makers at Peak Performance to introduce a “paradigm-shifting” circular jacket.
“For years now, brands have wanted to introduce more circularity into their products, but the onus has fallen on their ingredient partners and startups to make that happen,” said Matthew Betcher, creative director with Allied. “The reality is that garments need to be designed for circularity before any sense of recyclability can even start to be possible.”
Allied supplied the 800-fill power down, a renewable, recyclable and biodegradable insulation, while NetPlus supplied the yarn: castoff fishing nets re-engineered into 100 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) nylon yarn. Pertex then weaves that yarn to create the Helium Loop’s shell and liner.
For NetPlus, the Helium Loop R&D project is a “win for the outdoor community” that demonstrates how responsible materials and design can prevent pollution and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
“Technical outerwear is typically built from crude oil, virgin plastic—an outdated model that negatively impacts people and the planet through the entire supply chain,” said David Stover, CEO of Bureo, the company behind NetPlus. “By connecting better materials with thoughtful design, the Peak Performance team was able to explore the worthwhile challenge of building products suited for end-of-life recycling and push forward on the industry transition away from fossil fuels.”
Resortecs makes Smart Stitch, a trademarked heat-dissolvable stitching thread that enables brands to transform their products into recyclable pieces from the manufacturing stage. At the end of the product’s lifespan, the stitching melts away using its trademarked Smart Disassembly technology, under controlled conditions, so the down plumes and shell material can be taken apart and recycled individually.
“The core insight is that true circularity isn’t about accepting compromises, it’s about engineering garments to be unmade as thoughtfully as they’re made,” said designer Marie Andersson. “When premium materials meet thoughtful disassembly design with end-of-life in mind, circularity becomes a performance advantage as every component maintains its highest value across multiple lifecycles.”
Milliken x Numat Technologies
Milliken & Company announced a strategic supply partnership with Numat Technologies, an advanced materials company that designs and manufactures metal-organic framework (MOF) materials.
“Our work with Numat is about bold innovation and real-world impact,” said Halsey Cook, president and CEO at Milliken. “Together, we are setting a new standard in protection—delivering textile solutions that not only help safeguard lives but redefine what’s possible in our industry.”
The partnership—intended to “deliver next-generation protective fabric solutions for defense, first responder and industrial customers,” the global manufacturer said—will integrate Milliken’s advanced textiles with Numat’s Sentinel MOF technology platform. In turn, creating “functional, reactive and self-decontaminating fabrics” that bolster breathability and protection in extreme environments.
“This partnership represents a generational leap forward in protective fabrics and suits,” said Ben Hernandez, CEO of Numat Technologies. “By combining Numat’s MOF technology platform with Milliken’s textile technology and scale, we’re delivering sustainable, high-performance solutions that protect those who protect us.”
For context, MOFs are a class of nanomaterials, ideal for applications in sectors like electronics, life sciences, and national defense. These MOF-enabled textile solutions are non-PFAS and will be manufactured in the United States. The partners said key customers for their solution platform include chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense professionals as well as first responders “seeking non-PFAS alternatives to legacy protective technologies.”
“We’re not just supplying advanced materials—we’re driving American innovation to shape the future of protective textiles,” said Marcio Manique, senior vice president and managing director for Milliken’s apparel business. “Partnering with Numat strengthens our leadership in core markets as we expand CBRN solutions that set the standard for performance and protection.”
Gaia Biomaterials
Demand for the compostable, microplastic-free material Biodolomer is growing in the United States, according to Gaia Biomaterials.
“People are realizing that all conventional plastics eventually turn into microplastics—simply through use,” said Peter Stenström, CEO of Gaia Biomaterials. “That has led to a surge in demand for true alternatives such as our limestone-based Biodolomer, which is fully compostable according to U.S. standards and does not generate microplastics.”
To meet said demand, the Swedish producer and its distributor, the Mitsubishi International Corporation, established a supply hub in Los Angeles—enabling fast nationwide deliveries via rail.
“We’ve supplied Biodolomer to the U.S. market for several years, but interest is now booming,” Stenström said. “By setting up this new supply hub together with Mitsubishi International Corporation, we can shorten lead times and make it easier for American customers to get access to a compostable, microplastic-free material.”
Biodolomer is composed of a biodegradable copolyester, minerals and plant-based oils, the company said, and can be processed using standard plastic production methods, such as film blowing, injection molding and thermoforming.
