Bunko Junko is a women-led Indian start-up that transforms industrial fabric scraps – typically considered waste – into unique fashion products such as clothing, decorative items, and gifts.
The start-up from Congo developed an organic absorbent fibre from a local invasive plant, the water hyacinth, to clean up oil spills.
Woman-led, Indian start-up WE The Recycling Company is dedicated to make an impact on the current handling of e-waste in India.
Human Material Loop is transforming human hair into an alternative fibre for the textile industry.
How Sustainable Innovation Can Drive Inclusive Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean
AC Biode developed a diverse portfolio of products based on chemical technology designed to provide more sustainable alternatives to conventional practices.
The Indian, woman-led startup Coco Custo is pioneering more sustainable cleaning solutions with its biodegradable laundry detergent and other eco-friendly cleaning powders. Formulated primarily from plant-based ingredients and minerals, including organic oils and coconut, Coco Custo’s products are non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and free from harmful chemicals.
Dutch start-up Mavisol has developed an innovative machine vision and AI solution designed specifically for plastic converters, with the aim of promoting environmental sustainability and improving material reuse efficiency.
Mexican start-up Polybion produces a cell-based leather alternative named Celium, a versatile material made out of bacteria-grown cellulose, that can be dyed and formed into different textures.
DNACotton is a female-led start-up from Türkiye that has developed a blockchain-based labeling and traceability system for textiles. The solution allows for reliable monitoring and analysis of materials, from fiber production to customer delivery.
The female-led Swedish start-up Renasens has developed a clean, waterless recycling technology that transforms textile waste into valuable new resources.
Egrobots, a start-up from Egypt, developed a solution for efficient farm monitoring and management using AI and robotics. Their innovation includes an autonomous robot, that roams around the farm, scanning the plants on a leaf-level with high resolution and an AI that analyses this data.
The Ghanaian start-up Theseus Development produces an alternative material to cement-based concrete for the building industry called “geopolymer”. Not only is the material produced from the mineral that occurs in great abundance in the earth's crust as well as industrial waste, but the production process does not emit carbon dioxide either.
Ar-ena is a female-led start-up from Jordan, that produces a new type of hydrogel-polymers that absorb air humidity and convert it into water.
Austrian start-up Vienna Textile Lab produces biodegradable dyes and pigments utilizing naturally occurring microorganisms. Low-emission production, the use of renewable raw materials and the biodegradability of the final product are significant sustainability aspects of the innovation and its contribution to a circular economy.
The American start-up Zila Bioworks is transforming hard-tech manufacturing with drastically cleaner, greener chemistry, while supporting rural communities.
The Mexican start-up Neptunus Biotech extracts bioactive compounds from marine microalgae which are used as a bio-stimulant for crops. The assimilation of these molecules makes the plants more resistant to environmental stress.
African start-up Ecorich Solutions uses an innovative technology called “the Wastebot decomposer machine” to convert organic waste into organic fertilizer. The process involves the breakdown of organic waste using soil based microbial enzymes under a temperature regulated mechanism.
The German start-up Bioweg found a way to replace petroleum-based chemicals with innovative bio-alternatives through fermentation and green chemistry. The processing of waste products results in bacterial cellulose, which serves as a substitute for synthetic polymers and thus has diverse potential applications.
The Kenyan start-up Molepse BioResources has developed two products, one for small-scale and one for large-scale grain farmers, to protect their harvest from weevil attacks.
The Croatian start-up Makabi has created a 3-in-1 encapsulation technology for plant protection and nutrition and controlled release of bioactive components.
The Ghanian start-up Aquamet provides a sustainable and affordable solution to maximize fish farmers´ yield.
The Egypt-based start-up Plastale produces composite materials for different applications out of local plastic and crop waste. Their recycling process aims to be energy and cost efficient, and the start-up focuses also on creating social impact through collaboration with local communities and local waste collectors. For this reason, International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) features Plastale as the ISC3 Start-up of the Month for September 2023.
Block Solutions is a Tampere, Finland-based company that has developed environmentally friendly block-modules made of recycled plastics or in combination with local excess raw materials.
Colombia-based company Cali Food Papers started with new product line named Ecopapel that offers biodegradable, compostable and recyclable paper- and cardboard-based packaging for food.
India-based start-up Ashaya focuses on increasing the value of waste and turns this waste into high-quality materials and products that are more recyclable.
Ghana-based start-up AppCyclers has developed a web- and app-based solution for local electronics waste (e-waste) management services. What distinguishes these innovators is their holistic approach: With this contribution to sustainable chemistry, they not only focus on safe and efficient disposal of e-waste and material recovery. They also educate local communities about the importance of proper disposal and reducing their e-waste footprint.
With an innovative new production process, the Dutch start-up Mycotex allows for personalized clothing made from mycelium. With this contribution to sustainable chemistry the start-up aims to create a completely new supply chain for the fashion industry, an alternative to weaving, cutting and sewing.
The South African start-up EL MAT Sustainable Solutions found a way to produce electricity, purified water and fertilizers from wastewater – without the introduction of hazardous materials or expensive feedstocks.
Virtually all areas of our lives would be inconceivable without products that come directly or indirectly in contact with chemical production: It affects the modern office environment, our private lives and thus our well-being and life fulfilment including health, leisure and personal protection.
