3D Shoes 3D Shoes
  • News
    NewsShow More
    Digital render of Syntilay’s AI-designed space sneaker glowing in holographic display
    Cosmic Kicks: Why Reebok’s Joe Foster Is Betting on the First Shoe Designed in Space
    June 28, 2025
    Panoramic view of Koobz’s Ventura 3D‑printing farm with multiple printers running in parallel.
    Koobz Raises $7.2 Million: How an 800‑Printer “Sneaker Factory” Could Kick‑Start the 3D‑Printed Footwear Revolution
    June 25, 2025
    Array of low-temperature 3D-printed glass test shapes created at MIT Lincoln Laboratory
    Low-Temperature 3D-Printed Glass: MIT’s Inorganic-Composite Ink Revolution
    June 23, 2025
    adidas Is Dropping A Laced Version Of The Climacool
    Adidas Climacool Laced 2025 Release: What You Need to Know Before Buying
    June 20, 2025
    Close-up of Faith Kipyegon adjusting the Nike FlyWeb bra, highlighting open TPU mesh texture.
    Game-Changer or Gimmick? Can Nike’s 3D-Printed FlyWeb Bra Really Revolutionize Women’s Running?
    June 14, 2025
  • Design
    DesignShow More
    adidas Is Dropping A Laced Version Of The Climacool
    Adidas Climacool Laced 2025 Release: What You Need to Know Before Buying
    June 20, 2025
    Side profile of the red 3-D-printed Nike Air Max 1000 prototype
    Nike Air Max 1000 vs Adidas 4DFWD 3: Can Either 3‑D‑Printed Sneaker Survive 500+ Miles?
    June 16, 2025
    A pigmented O° shoe featuring a black 3D-printed structure overlaying a grey textile base layer Image: Courtesy of OXMAN
    OXMAN’s O° Platform: Pioneering 100% Biodegradable 3D-Printed Footwear
    January 29, 2025
    The First AI Shoe
    Stepping into the Future: Reebok’s Co-Founder Teams Up with Young Innovator to Revolutionize Footwear through AI and 3D Printing
    January 23, 2025
    CamperLab’s Tossu Shoe Gets an Update From Mr. Bailey’s Concept (K)
    CamperLab x Mr. Bailey’s Tossu Shoe – A Design Revolution
    December 17, 2024
  • Trends
    TrendsShow More
    High-resolution collage featuring five popular running shoes — Nike Invincible 4, HOKA Bondi 9, ASICS GEL-Nimbus 27, New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v4, and Adidas 4DFWD — recommended for an EPU 45 midsole upgrade.
    5 Running Shoes That Need Carbon’s EPU 45 Foam (But Probably Won’t Get It Yet)
    June 10, 2025
    Sean Wotherspoon's Sean Double U
    One Pair, One Purpose: The Philosophy Behind Sean Wotherspoon’s Dual Silhouettes
    June 9, 2025
    Digital collage of 10 recycled sneakers from top brands in 2025, showcasing eco-friendly materials like ocean plastic, algae foam, and knit uppers
    10 Shoe Brands Turning Trash into Trend: The Rise of Recycled Footwear in 2025
    June 4, 2025
    Close-up of Adidas 4D-printed midsole showing breathable lattice structure
    Are 3D-Printed Shoes Worth It in 2025? What Sneaker Brands Don’t Want You to Know
    June 2, 2025
    Formlabs Form 1 desktop SLA/DLP printer building a small test geometry
    Photosensitive PEEK: Build 250 °C, Space‑Grade Parts on a Desktop DLP Printer
    May 26, 2025
  • Recommended Picks
    Recommended PicksShow More
    High-resolution collage featuring five popular running shoes — Nike Invincible 4, HOKA Bondi 9, ASICS GEL-Nimbus 27, New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v4, and Adidas 4DFWD — recommended for an EPU 45 midsole upgrade.
    5 Running Shoes That Need Carbon’s EPU 45 Foam (But Probably Won’t Get It Yet)
    June 10, 2025
    Anycubic Wash & Cure 3
    Budget vs. Premium: Which Wash & Cure Station Is Right for You in 2025?
    June 5, 2025
    CAD for kids course review covers a 16-week program taking learners from CAD sketch to 3D-printed model, summarizing projects, skills and required tools.
    CAD for Kids – Build, Create & Learn — Our Full Project-Based Review
    May 8, 2025
    Best Subscription Boxes for Moms This Mother’s Day (2025 Gift Guide)
    🎀 Best Subscription Boxes for Moms This Mother’s Day (2025 Gift Guide)
    April 29, 2025
    3D Printing from Zero to Hero in Blender – FDM & MSLA - Course Review
    3D Printing from Zero to Hero in Blender – FDM & MSLA: Build, Create & Learn — Our Full Project-Based Review
    April 12, 2025
Reading: Modern Synthesis Bags $4.1 Million For Sustainable Microbial Textile Platform
Fuel Our Steps
Font ResizerAa
3DSHOES.COM3DSHOES.COM
  • News
  • Design
  • Recommended Picks
  • STL Files
Search
  • Home
  • News
  • Design
  • Recommended Picks

A Step Away From Whiskey

R_Shoes R_Shoes June 26, 2024
5.9kLike
4kFollow
3.7kPin
3.7kFollow
  • Home
  • About
  • STL Files
  • Contact
© 2024 3DSHOES.com. All Rights Reserved.
3DSHOES.COM > News > News > Modern Synthesis Bags $4.1 Million For Sustainable Microbial Textile Platform
News

Modern Synthesis Bags $4.1 Million For Sustainable Microbial Textile Platform

R_Shoes
Last updated: June 27, 2024 2:18 am
By R_Shoes 5 Min Read
Share
SHARE

Table of Contents
Using microbes to create a truly circular economyTesting the theoryWhy sustainable materials matter

 

Modern Synthesis has closed a $4.1 million seed funding round. The U.K.-based biomaterials startup scooped investment from AgFunder, Collaborative Fund, Acequia Capital and Petri Bio, amongst numerous others. Funding will be used to develop its proprietary agricultural waste conversion platform that aims to make the fashion industry more sustainable. 

Replacing animal and petrochemical-based materials in the fashion supply chain is cited as Modern Synthesis’ driving motivation. The startup uses bacteria to convert sugars found in agricultural waste into a weaveable nanocellulose material. The fabric is fully biodegradable and considered strong enough to replace conventional materials in everything from clothing to shoes.

Photo by Ranurte on Unsplash.

Using microbes to create a truly circular economy

Modern Synthesis is not specifically engaged in trying to create a vegan leather alternative. Instead, the startup claims it is seeking to develop a totally new material, which can be applied to projects that are traditionally completed using unsustainable fabrics. The hope is that it will spur a new category of materials, defined by their environmental credentials. 

“What we’re trying to do is build this new class of materials that is more sustainable but also allows us to design and create in new ways, which is really exciting for the fashion industry,” Jen Keane, Modern Synthesis co-founder and CEO told AgFunder News. “At the end of the day, we’re trying to build a circular manufacturing system with these microbes that enables us to leverage agricultural waste and use the microbes as manufacturing units and transfer them into more viable materials. On the flip side, we see the opportunity to have new-class materials that are fully cellulosic, so we can recycle them back into silos and recycling streams.” 

Testing the theory

So far, Modern Synthesis has successfully printed a show upper using its microbial weaving technique. It mimics the conventional warp-and-weft weaving style but takes up to two weeks to create a usable biofabric. Instead of producing sheets of material, scaffolding is used to shape fibres. The startup’s genetically modified microbes grow around the scaffolds to produce the end result, similar to using 3D printing. 

The benefits of weaving to shape include zero fabric waste, a major issue in the fashion sector. It is hoped that the technique can be scaled effectively to remove leathers, textiles and films from the fashion supply chain. One “key sportswear customer” has been cited as signing up for prototyping.

Photo by Modern Synthesis.

The $4.1 million seed funding will be used to construct a pilot manufacturing facility, in London. The location will include a lab and production facilities that will allow for sampling and small-batch runs. The proposed deadline for being operational is the third quarter of this year.

Why sustainable materials matter

In excess of 70 percent of the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions are created during upstream processes. Notably, the production of virgin materials. By cutting fabric waste and building out a production platform that allows for fully biodegradable fabrics, the sector will be able to make fast progress toward slashing its environmental impact. As a result, the biomaterials sector is growing, with predictions of a $2.2 billion value by 2026 already floated. 

Prior to founding Modern Synthesis, Keane undertook a creative residency at Bolt Threads, a fellow biomaterials startup. The mushroom leather company has previously announced partnerships with fashion big-hitters including Adidas, Lululemon, Stella McCartney and luxury brands owner Kering. Last year, McCartney used Mylo, the startup’s signature leather alternatives, to create ready-to-wear clothing, following a successful application in a handbag. 

In January, vegan leather startup MycoWorks demonstrated interest in the sustainable materials sphere by closing a $125 million Series C funding round. The company had already produced mycelium-based leather for multiple brands, including Hermès but raised funds to scale its manufacturing capabilities. The signature material, dubbed Reishi, is slated to be ideal for the luxury market as it can be made to exact specifications that replicate the butterfly leather commonly used by high-end brands. 

 

 

SOURCE: https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/modern-synthesis-biomaterial-development/

 

Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link

Stay Up To Date!

Sign up for 3DShoes.com's mailing list where you will stay up-to-date with latest trends, drops, and more.

loader

PixelCrafted banner ad bold headline ‘Websites That Sell’, tagline ‘Custom WordPress builds that convert’, button ‘Get a Free Mockup’.

Trending

Mimeng: The Next Gen Smart Heated InSoles

ABOUT   MiMeng is the perfect way keep your feet warm all winter.  Mimeng heated…

July 20, 2021

Oechsler’s Trekking Backpack’s 3D-printed cushioning mesh

Oechsler’s Trekking Backpack is the world’s first to ever incorporate a 3D-printed cushioning mesh  …

November 3, 2022

Iambic Creates ‘Sizeless’ Shoes That Are Good For Your Feet

Shoe by IAMBIC IAMBIC When it comes to fashion, there are shoes that look good,…

May 6, 2023
5.9kLike
4kFollow
3.7kPin
3.7kFollow
Innovation & Trends

One Pair, One Purpose: The Philosophy Behind Sean Wotherspoon’s Dual Silhouettes

Sean Wotherspoon's Sean Double U

From curating vintage treasures on Melrose to reinventing sustainable sneakers, Sean Wotherspoon doesn’t just design shoes—he crafts cultural moments. His celebrated collaborations with adidas, Gap, and Porsche have consistently merged…

R_Shoes June 9, 2025

Your may also like!

Digital render of Syntilay’s AI-designed space sneaker glowing in holographic display
News

Cosmic Kicks: Why Reebok’s Joe Foster Is Betting on the First Shoe Designed in Space

R_Shoes June 28, 2025
Panoramic view of Koobz’s Ventura 3D‑printing farm with multiple printers running in parallel.
News

Koobz Raises $7.2 Million: How an 800‑Printer “Sneaker Factory” Could Kick‑Start the 3D‑Printed Footwear Revolution

R_Shoes June 25, 2025
Array of low-temperature 3D-printed glass test shapes created at MIT Lincoln Laboratory
News

Low-Temperature 3D-Printed Glass: MIT’s Inorganic-Composite Ink Revolution

R_Shoes June 23, 2025
adidas Is Dropping A Laced Version Of The Climacool
DesignNews

Adidas Climacool Laced 2025 Release: What You Need to Know Before Buying

R_Shoes June 20, 2025
loader

Our website stores cookies on your computer. They allow us to remember you and help personalize your experience with our site.

Read our privacy policy for more information.

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About
  • STL Files
  • Contact

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy (EU)
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Socials

Follow US
Crafted with love by PixelCrafted.Dev ❤
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Stay Up To Date!

Sign up for 3DShoes.com's mailing list where you will stay up-to-date with latest trends, drops, and more.

loader

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
adbanner
AdBlock Detected
Our site is an advertising supported site. Please whitelist to support our site.
Okay, I'll Whitelist
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?