The Fashion Industry’s Waste Problem
The high levels of waste produced by the fashion industry have become an increasingly pressing issue. Every second, textiles equivalent to the contents of a garbage truck are discarded. Additionally, the industry’s carbon emissions exceed those of all international flights and maritime shipping combined. This issue is becoming a major concern for the fashion industry, and many companies are seeking innovative solutions to tackle it. Source
Enter Rubi: A Startup on a Mission
A startup named Rubi is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative to address this problem. The company has developed a unique method of creating the building blocks of lyocell and viscose, essentially taking the biological machinery outside of the cell, according to Neeka Mashouf, Rubi’s co-founder and CEO. This technology could potentially allow any company that uses cellulose in its products to utilize captured carbon dioxide instead.
Rubi recently secured $7.5 million in funding to build a demonstration scale of its cellulosic production system. This system is designed to produce tens of tons of material using CO2 as the primary ingredient. The funding round was led by AP Ventures and FH One Investments, with additional contributions from CMPC Ventures, H&M Group, Talis Capital, and Understorey Ventures.
Rubi’s Partnerships and Future Plans
The startup has already secured over $60 million in non-binding purchase agreements with numerous partners, according to Mashouf. The company has tested its material with 15 pilot partners, including high-profile brands such as H&M, Patagonia, and Walmart.
When it comes to producing cellulose for lyocell or viscose, Rubi uses enzymes, a method that distinguishes it from other startups. Other companies tend to use engineered bacteria in a fermenter or chemical catalysts to transform carbon dioxide into the compound. As of now, the majority of cellulose comes from trees, including plantation trees and virgin rainforests. “These supply chains for textiles and raw materials are very long,” Mashouf said, highlighting the potential advantages of Rubi’s technology.
The Role of Enzymes in Rubi’s Innovation
The idea to use enzymes was sparked when Mashouf, who was researching new materials as a scientist, collaborated with her twin sister, Leila, a medical student at Harvard Medical School. Having surveyed various technologies, they found themselves repeatedly drawn to enzymes.
According to Mashouf, the enzyme industry is substantial and versatile. It is used in the production of high fructose corn syrup and in wastewater treatment. Rubi employs a “cascade” of enzymes to process carbon dioxide waste and has used artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the efficiency and stability of these enzymes.
Rubi’s Innovative Production Process
The enzymes currently operate in an aqueous solution, and when carbon dioxide is introduced, white cellulose begins to form within the reactor in a matter of minutes. The reactors are housed in modules the size of a shipping container. Rubi has plans to modify its process to enable continuous production in the future.
Rubi’s Long-Term Vision
While Rubi is initially targeting clothing companies as its primary customers, the startup envisions providing cellulose to any industry that uses it in the future. “It’s really a platform,” Mashouf said. “We see it as a platform to make all the chemicals and materials important to the entire economy at low cost.”
