Everbloom’s AI Turns Chicken Feathers Into Cashmere
▼ Summary
– The low price of many cashmere sweaters is linked to unsustainable herding practices and lower-quality fiber due to over-shearing goats.
– Cashmere supply is inherently limited, as each goat produces only a small amount of the fine undercoat fiber annually.
– Startup Everbloom is creating a sustainable, upcycled alternative material that mimics cashmere using waste from the fiber supply chain.
– Their process uses a material science AI to transform keratin-based waste into new fibers via standard textile manufacturing equipment.
– The resulting fibers are designed to be biodegradable, have a lower environmental impact, and be more economically viable than traditional materials.
The soft, luxurious feel of cashmere has made it a coveted material in fashion, yet its traditional production faces significant sustainability and ethical challenges. The limited supply from goats, coupled with intense market demand for affordable options, has led to over-shearing and declining fiber quality. This pressure on herders and the environment creates a clear need for innovative alternatives that don’t sacrifice performance or accessibility.
One startup, Everbloom, is tackling this problem head-on with a novel approach. Instead of trying to reform existing cashmere farming, the company has developed a method to create a high-quality alternative from waste materials. Their process centers on a proprietary material science AI named Braid.AI, which meticulously engineers fibers to match specific characteristics, such as the softness and warmth of genuine cashmere.
The innovation begins with sourcing. Everbloom currently collects keratin-based waste from various points in the textile supply chain, including scraps from cashmere and wool production. Future plans involve tapping into much larger waste streams, such as discarded feathers from the poultry industry. These materials all share keratin as a foundational protein, which serves as the essential building block for the new fiber.
The transformation happens through a streamlined mechanical process. The collected waste is chopped, combined with proprietary compounds, and then pressed through a plastic extrusion machine. The resulting pellets are fed into standard spinning equipment commonly used for producing polyester. By utilizing this existing industrial machinery, Everbloom ensures its material can seamlessly integrate into current textile manufacturing, acting as a direct replacement without requiring costly factory retooling.
The role of Braid.AI is crucial here. It fine-tunes the chemical formulation and processing parameters within these two machines to engineer fibers with precise qualities. This allows the company to target not just cashmere-like textures but also to create alternatives to other common materials. A significant claim is that all resulting fibers are designed to be biodegradable, including their version of polyester, with ongoing testing to validate this environmental benefit.
From an economic perspective, the model is designed for broad adoption. The use of waste inputs aims to lower both environmental impact and production costs. The company’s philosophy explicitly rejects the “sustainable premium,” arguing that for a new material to succeed, it must offer tangible benefits at every stage. The goal is to provide a product that is not only superior in performance but also more economically viable for brands and consumers alike, creating a compelling case for change across the entire supply chain.
(Source: TechCrunch)
