Modern Synthesis: A New Approach to Sustainable Materials

Growing Nanocellulose Fibers

Jen Keane’s claim to fame is that she grew a shoe using bacteria, coaxing the microbes to deposit their nanocellulosic materials in the shape of a sneaker. However, she feels that this approach misses the point. The fiber produced by bacteria is not a new thing, and her new startup, Modern Synthesis, takes a different tack.

A New Approach to Material Production

Modern Synthesis still uses bacteria to grow nanocellulose fibers, but then it harvests and processes them to create a range of different materials. This approach is more similar to the way fabric is made and used today. For example, weaving cotton into denim for jeans is a more scalable and practical method than persuading a cotton plant to deposit its fibers into the shape of a pair of pants.

Manipulating Nanocellulose Fibers

Modern Synthesis’s fibers can be manipulated in ways that simple plant fibers cannot. They can be spread into a thin, wind-resistant film or textured to mimic high-quality leather. This makes them more like synthetic materials like polyester and polyurethane.

Biodegradable Materials

The difference between Modern Synthesis’s nanocellulose materials and synthetic materials is that the former are ultimately biodegradable. This is important because many synthetic materials can last for thousands of years, which is not desirable.

Cellulose-Based Materials

The basic building block of Modern Synthesis’s textiles is cellulose, which is what’s left after the materials have decomposed. This means that the materials should behave similarly to other cellulosic materials, such as cotton.

Breakthroughs and Funding

One of the breakthroughs that encouraged Keane to found Modern Synthesis with Ben Reeve, the company’s chief technology officer, was the ability to create materials only using nanocellulose. This is a significant advantage over other biomaterials, which may need to be combined with synthetic materials to achieve the desired properties.

Supply Chain and Applications

Modern Synthesis buys its nanocellulose from existing producers, which already make the material in large quantities for a range of applications. The startup then processes the nanocellulose to create different materials. For example, in 2023, it made an artificial leather for Danish fashion brand Ganni, which used it to make a handbag that contained no petrochemicals.

Expansion Plans and Future Applications

Keane said that the company is working to quintuple production at its pilot plant. Modern Synthesis recently closed a $5.5 million funding round, led by Extantia Capital with participation from Artesian and Collaborative Fund. The company is looking into a range of applications, including smart textiles with embedded electronics and car dashboards.

Advantages of Cellulosic Materials

Keane pointed out that cellulosic materials don’t melt like synthetics do. This means that car dashboards, for example, will not melt when exposed to sunlight. This is an important advantage for Modern Synthesis’s materials.