Making eco-friendly fabric by fermenting protein

J-STORIES - As a graduate student, Kazuhide Sekiyama researched artificial spider silk, hoping to develop a strong and flexible material for making clothes. But when his research reached a dead end, he turned his attention to another artificial material inspired by nature: protein fiber. Now he is the CEO of Japanese biomaterials startup Spiber Inc., which has developed a material called "Brewed Protein."

The company is already working with global apparel outfits to develop products containing the fibre, but potential applications extend well beyond clothing. They include leather and fur, artificial hair, and also auto parts, such as door panels and seats.

Two major advantages of the material is that it is highly biodegradable and recyclable.

To make the protein, 20 types of amino acids are combined. The genetic information of the protein is then designed from a vast number of sequences according to the material’s target use. After that, the DNA is inserted into a microorganism, which is cultured by fermentation technology to produce protein material.

The proteins have a molecular structure consisting of dozens to thousands of linear chains of 20 different amino acids, which can be arranged and combined in an almost infinite number of ways.

In order to create proteins for specific applications, the company calculates a vast number of combinations, then designs and synthesizes gene sequences to be incorporated into microorganisms. The microorganisms are then cultured using fermentation technology on a large scale to produce Brewed Protein.

Small-scale microbial culture devices at Spiber’s HQ laboratory.      Source: Spiber — Small-scale microbial culture devices at Spiber’s HQ laboratory. Source: Spiber

Natural protein materials, such as cotton, hemp, cashmere and silk often end up incinerated as waste due to the high cost of recovery and recycling. But, according to the company, Brewed Protein is easier to reuse, potentially creating a sustainable resource cycle.

Among the global apparel makers Spider has already joined forces with to develop products are Goldwin and The North Face. It also has a tie-up with sustainable fashion maker Pangaia. A hoodie made using the fabric went on sale online in June.

Meanwhile, its manufacturing web is rapidly expanding. Spiber’s Japan plant produces just a few tons of Brewed Protein a year, but this May a plant in Thailand opened with the goal of producing several hundred tons a year. Another plant in the United States planned jointly with U.S. company ADM aims to start production during 2023 to manufacture several thousand tons of the protein a year.

A light and shock-absorbing composite material suitable for car door panels can be made by combining the artificial protein fiber with existing materials such as carbon fiber.      Source: ImPACT — A light and shock-absorbing composite material suitable for car door panels can be made by combining the artificial protein fiber with existing materials such as carbon fiber. Source: ImPACT

Spiber is also working with Kojima Industries Corp., an auto parts manufacturer that supplies Toyota Motor Corp., to develop a new material with the potential to replace steel. If realized, this material could reduce car body weight, thereby improving fuel efficiency and cutting CO2 emissions.
Spiber spokesperson, Akane Asai, told J-Stories that the company’s material is highly biodegradable because it is made without petroleum. On the other hand, the production process requires more electricity compared to making synthetic fibers. So, a future goal for the company is to reduce its environmental impact by using 100% renewable energy.