Werewool, a leader in environmentally friendly performance fibers, has secured a $3.7 million seed investment sponsored by Material Impact and Sofinnova Partners to advance its goal of creating biodegradable fibers with performance-enhancing protein-based colors. Protein fibers that can be spun into yarns will be the company's initial product, and the money will also be used to increase production capacity and build out the team.
The use of synthetic colors, petroleum-based raw materials, and hazardous finishing techniques that make the textile sector one of the biggest drivers of climate change might be replaced by werewool fibers. Werewool employs protein structure to produce these properties rather than relying on these standard processes and ingredients. Columbia University and the Fashion Institute of technique jointly hold the patent for the technique.
“Our mission as a company is to make the fashion industry compatible with nature," said Chui-Lian Lee, co-founder and CEO of Werewool. “Our team looks at the textile industry holistically considering the end of life at the beginning of life – our goal is for our fibers to decompose into nutrients for a healthier ecosystem. We are excited to be growing and are looking to fill key leadership roles in the company with people who can contribute to our team’s vision for a truly circular textile economy". The business has received praise from the fashion industry for its inventive approach to reducing microfiber pollution and preserving the environment. Werewool has earned a number of honors, including the Conservation X Labs' Microfiber Innovation Challenge, the H&M Foundation Global Change Award, and most recently the ELLE & Polestar Design Toward Zero Award.
"We believe that biology will play an increasingly important role in the future of clothing and are excited to partner with Werewool in their mission to bring sustainable and biodegradable fibers to market,” said Michael Krel, Partner at Sofinnova Partners.
The purchase of Werewool is seen as essential to Material Impact's premise of using material science to advance bio-manufacturing in the fashion sector.
“At Material Impact, we seek out deep tech innovation that has the capacity to solve enduring, large-scale, real-world problems,” said Corinna Chen, Partner at Material Impact. “Werewool’s revolutionary fiber development platform offers the textile industry a breakthrough approach to sustainable and functional textiles.”
This announcement comes at a time when one of the leading causes of microplastic pollution is the textile sector. The hazardous, non-biodegradable plasticizers employed in modern plastic synthetic fibers accumulate toxic compounds and have an adverse effect on biodiversity and human health.
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