Despite a decade of innovation into new eco-friendly textile fibers, none of them work on the huge melt-spun fiber machines that enable low costs. 70% of the fibers used by the apparel industry are made by melt-spinning. The result is that virtually all fiber innovation is hindered by costs 2x to 3x higher than petroleum-based yarns. 

Bloom Labs is the first startup to enable a recyclable fiber which is meltable and spinnable on traditional machines. This is a huge innovation that could help textile and apparel companies finally use eco-fibers across their entire portfolio of products. Bloom Labs’ fibers are recyclable because they are converted to pellets from a waste protein, of which there is nearly infinite supply. Bloom is funded by the National Science Foundation, and the United Soybean Board, and are now in discussions with NASA to create a circular packaging material that can be 3D printed for reuse to enable the circular economy in space.