Biotechnology company Insempra announced a strategic investment in Solena Materials, a producer of synthetic proteins for high-performance apparel fibers.
Solena, a spin-off from Imperial College London, uses computational design to develop new proteins. Insempra's investment will accelerate this development and make it possible to produce proteins on an industrial scale.
The aim is to create alternatives to non-biodegradable petrochemical-derived textiles and animal-derived materials such as silk. This will bring environmental benefits, including reducing microplastics in water.
With increasing consumer concerns about animal welfare and plastic pollution, many companies in the fashion and textile industries are turning to bio-based solutions. These can be very diverse, from sneakers made from plant-based plastics to sustainable bio-colorants.
Jens Klein, founder and CEO of Insempra and CEO of Solena Materials, said: "We are very pleased with our investment in Solena, which will help accelerate our market-first approach to developing high-quality, intrinsically sustainable materials. We look forward to fast-tracking Solena's development and production of its unique synthetic proteins to develop custom high-performance fibers for a variety of applications."
