Earlier this month, Polybion’s Celium made its world debut . And now, the Spanish biomaterials producer has taken home an award validating the research and refinement of its bacterial cellulose .
Colorado Researchers Make Dissolvable Duds from Gelatin
The B Corp was one of 11 recipients of the Redesign Everything Challenge hosted by What Design Can Do (WDCD). Founded in Amsterdam , WDCD is an international platform advocating for design as a tool for social change. The organization’s Redesign Everything Challenge—its fifth Climate Action Challenge in collaboration with the Ikea Foundation —seeks creative climate solutions across five disciplines: products, materials, communications, spaces as well as systems and services.
“Being recognized by an internationally acclaimed design platform like What Design Can Do is a testament to our team’s years of meticulous work and highlights the incredible potential of biology when it intersects with design,” Polybion said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to showcase Celium, our premium cultivated cellulose, to the world, as it represents the sum of a massive team effort compounded over time, coming to fruition.”
Celium —a biomaterial grown from feeding bacteria with agro-industrial fruit waste—“embodies a sustainable shift from traditional resource extraction to regenerative cultivation,” Polybion wrote in its project description. The cultivated cellulose promises scalability with minimal infrastructure, leveraging existing fermentation technology to produce a versatile, vegan and organic textile.
“In the face of our planet’s greatest challenges, design emerges as a powerful catalyst for change,” said Liz McKeon, head of planet at the Ikea Foundation. “The What Design Can Do design challenges that we supported have ignited innovative, design-focused solutions led by the creative community themselves, in addressing issues such as climate change , health, well-being and social equity all around the world. This demonstrates that designers can become the architects of solutions, building the bridge between imagination and impactful change, and have the transformative ability to shape transformation toward a sustainable future.”
A jury of leaders in design, social impact and climate action selected 11 winners—out of 557 submissions—with winning ideas receiving 5,000 euros (about $5,350) in funding and a global development program comprised of online training, mentoring sessions and a boot camp . The program will support the winning teams in further strengthening their projects throughout 2024 and beyond.
The Untapped Potential of Next-Gen Materials
“Redesigning everything is, first and foremost, a call to action ,” said Richard van der Laken, WDCD’s co-founder and creative director. “It’s also an invitation to think laterally about how our world should be redesigned, in ways both big and small. Now, more than ever, there is an urgent need for inclusive and circular solutions , and for the transformative and disruptive power of design.”
Other winning projects included Cellsense, which develops alternatives to beads in the form of scalable bio-embellishments that eliminate microplastics and unethical labor concerns from the process. The Revival is a community-led sustainable design NGO committed to addressing global textile waste challenges. Co-Culturing Rituals – BioSoothe explores the material possibilities of micro-algae and bacterial cellulose with potential bio-composite material applications.
“The winners of the Redesign Everything Challenge exemplify the potential of design to address climate impacts,” van der Laken said. “These projects not only provide innovative solutions to climate issues but also inspire others to reimagine what’s possible. The creativity and dedication shown by these teams impressed the jury and the entire team at What Design Can Do.”
The winners will receive funding, mentorship and training through the Redesign Everything Accelerator program, which kicks off in July with a “sprint week” in Amsterdam. Here, this year’s cohort will meet with industry experts and attend masterclasses focused on design and circularity . Then, each winner is matched with a mentor based on their personal and professional needs. WDCD annually hosts festivals in design capitals globally; this is where winners will get the platform to share their ideas with potential partners and investors.
Iconic Innovation: High Fashion Meets Eco-Consciousness
Most Popular
Comments / 0