Sequins are made from petroleum-based plastics such as PVCs containing toxic chemicals, carcinogens, and hormone disruptors. The glittering of sequins is created by metallic reflective coating, making plastic sequins more potent to the environment. The charity Oxfam surveyed 2,000 British women aged 18 to 55 in 2019, 40% of whom said they would buy a sequined piece of clothing for the festive season. Only 25% were sure they would wear it again; on average, respondents said they would wear the clothing five times before casting it aside. 5% said they would put their clothes in the bin once they had finished with them, leading Oxfam to calculate that 1.7 million pieces of 2019's festive party wear would end up in landfill. Once in landfills, plastic sequins will remain there indefinitely - but studies have found that the liquid waste that leaches out of landfill sites also contains microplastics. One group of researchers said their study proved that "landfill isn't the final sink of plastics, but a potential source of microplastics".The conventional sequins industry produces unsustainable planet impacts with intensive greenhouse gas emissions. **UNSOLD CLOTHES MAY BE DUMPED** Viola Wohlgemuth, circular economy and toxics manager for Greenpeace Germany, says 40% of items produced by the clothing industry are never sold. These may then be shipped to other countries and dumped. Clothes decorated with sequins are, inevitably, among these shipments. **THERE IS WASTE WHEN SEQUINS ARE MADE** Sequins are punched out of plastic sheets, and what remains has to be disposed of. "A few years ago, some companies tried to burn the waste in their incinerators," says Jignesh Jagani, a textile factory owner in the Indian state of Gujarat. "And that produced toxic smoke, and the state's pollution control board became aware of it and immediately stopped it. Handling such waste is indeed a challenge." One of the developers of compostable cellulose sequins, Elissa Brunato, has said she began by making sheets of material that the sequins were then cut from, but avoided this waste problem by making sequins in individual moulds. **FITNESS** To support sustainable and net-zero fashion by replacing plastic sequins, Plantique will produce fully bio-based and zero-waste sequins that deliver performance in use (appearance/aesthetics/usability properties), while eliminating petrochemical impurities and supporting the biodegradation and recycling of fashion items. In this project, Plantique aims to introduce our MVP to sustainable fashion brands (TRL5-7). Performance improvements from customer/stakeholders/regulators feedback.

Food losses and wastage is a primary worldwide problem. 690 million or 8.9% of people are hungry(Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN). Food Waste Management Market will be $116.4 Bn(2032). Developed economies witness food losses at the downstream stages of the supply chain. Post-COVID economic inflation leads to significant food price increases across the UK(25.7% imported;18% domestic). This lead to survival threats especially to lower incomes/under-representatives. Meat is the most laborious food to produce and the most toxic with 1/3 of emissions produced can be attributed to waste meat with 3/4 of the land used for food waste being used to dispose of meat, even though it accounts for 13% of total food waste. According to The Grocer, supermarkets throw away 100,000-tons of edible food annually in the UK which could feed upwards of 30-million people. As a result, supermarkets have a responsibility to reduce food waste. There is a distinction between case-life and shelf-life of meat. Case-life (also called colour shelf-life or display-life) is described as the length of time meat can be displayed under refrigeration before a colour change occurs. This colour change from the bright, cherry-red colour of beef to another colour, such as brown, is caused by a change in the protein myoglobin(Brooks,2007). Myoglobin is the colour pigment in muscle and is responsible for binding oxygen. While this colour change is not harmful and does not denote spoilage, it results in a colour customers find undesirable. Fresh meat contains up to 75% of water, which combines with water-soluble protein(e.g.myoglobin) to form "purge". Display meat is easily dehydrated and correspondingly loses protein through purge. Hence, an effective way to sustainably extend display fresh meat shelf life is urgently needed. The most convenient way to extend fresh food shelf life is to use wrapping, such as air-permeable overwrap with clear transparent film. An air-permeable package typically consists of a foam tray and absorbent pad that rests under the meat cut. The tray is wrapped in a clear film that is permeable to moisture and oxygen. The film characteristics allow oxygen from the air to come in contact with the beef, changing the colour from purple to bright cherry-red. Such individual packaging wrap is both cost and labour-intensive are usually found in high-end supermarkets. Algreen aims to extend display fresh meat shelf-life with protein preservation by phasing out the conventional plastic packaging in the most economical scalable way.

In recent years, the energy crisis has become increasingly serious. Global warming and the shortage of fossil resources has driven the quest for a new bio-economy. Cadaverine is a bio-based platform chemical that plays an indispensable role in industry, medicine and agriculture. In particular, cadaverine is an important polymer monomer for polyamides and polyurethanes. Due to the similar structure of cadaverine and 1,6-diaminohexane, cadaverine can replace 1,6-diaminohexane to synthesize bio-based polyamide materials such as nylon 54, nylon 56, nylon 510 and nylon 512\. Compared to traditional nylons, the new nylons made from cadaverine have a lower density, better dimensional stability and other superior properties. For example, nylon56 has a significant advantage in producing textile fibres owing to its low glass transition temperature and high water absorption. The low glass transition temperature enables nylon 56 fiber to perform well in alpine regions\[1\], and greatly improves the low-temperature resistance of the material. The high absorption rate gives nylon 56fiber good moisture-wicking performance, significantly improving wearing comfort and reducing static electricity. In addition, nylon 56 has excellent strength, fastness and wear resistance, which increases the service life of clothes. In this project, we aim to take this project from TRL 4 to 6\. We aim to reduce the cost of the energy-intensive product separation and purification process, which counts for \>50% of the final cadaverine price. The utilization of L-lysine hydrochloride as a substrate for the production of high-purity cadaverine will be investigated by a litre-scale integrated strategy incorporating fermentation, bioproduction, deprotonation, extraction and rectification. Based on the experimental achievement on the integrated process for the production of high-purity cadaverine from lysine decarboxylase, we confirm the lab scale feasibility of a low-cost cadaverine production, which is ready for industrial-scale implementation. To scale up the production, we're aiming to achieve a 99% purity of cadaverine separation, which will offer a large potential profit margin. The price of the as-produced cadaverine is estimated to be 7 times cheaper compared to the commercially available cadaverine. We'll focus on taking this lab-scale production and theoretical simulation to an economically feasible industrial production. Most importantly, we will adopt novel digital modelling and artificial intelligence techniques developed at the University of Manchester to accelerate design and optimisation of the underlying bioprocess, so that we can further improve the sustainability and economic viability of the new bio-material manufacturing technology.

Methane is 84 times more potent a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) than CO2\. The International Energy Agency estimates that the oil and gas sector emitted 82 Mt (around 2.5 GtCO2-eq) methane in 2019\. Methane is a promising next-generation carbon feedstock in industrial biotechnology due to its economic scale-up potential. Biomethane produced from waste is treated as biogenic and is not considered to contribute to GHG emissions. The only natural method for biological conversion of methane to a value-added product is use methanotrophic strains as biocatalysts because methanotrophs can utilise methane as the sole carbon source. Algreen engineers methanotroph as a model strain and introduced non-native pathways to produce cadaverine from biomethane. Cadaverine is an important building block for fully biobased and biodegradable polyurethane. Conventional polyurethane from fossil fuel represents 8% of world plastics and is used in fashion for waterproof coatings for outdoor wear. The plastic coating mixed with textile fibres increases the carbon footprint of the fashion industry and prevents recycling Global textile waste increased from 92 million tonnes in 2017 to more than 134 million tonnes in 2023\. They are either dumped into landfill or incinerated. Once in landfills, plastic impurities will remain indefinitely - but studies have found liquid waste leaching which also contain microplastics. The fashion industry accounts for 8-10% of global carbon emissions and reusing 1 kilogram of clothing saves 3.6 kg of CO2, 6,000 litres of water, 0.3 kg of chemical fertilisers and 0.2 kg of insecticides, compared with making garments from virgin resources. One group of researchers said their study provided evidence that "landfill isn't the final sink of plastics, but a potential source of microplastics". 40% of items produced by the clothing industry are unsold. These fashion items containing plastic ingredients are often shipped to other countries and dumped. There's an urgent need to find renewable textile raw materials, which are biodegradable and recyclable. Sustainable fashion should not just be for those who can afford it, but the default for the masses. Manufacturers and retailers are launching new price-competitive and sustainable fabric coating not only for high-end fashion, but also for the overall fashion industry. The current sustainable raw material costs 2-4 times more compared to non-sustainable raw materials. This limited those sustainable fashion materials to the high-end or sustainable fashion brands. Algreen aims to provide affordable raw materials by using bioengineering technology to support sustainable high street fashion.

Plastic labels generate 60,000 metric tons of such packaging wastes containing 17,000 metric tons of aluminum used in Great Britain in 2015\. They are typically made of fossil-fuel-derived virgin plastics, adhesives, contaminants and inks. Some laminated packaging formats are estimated to be growing by between 10% and 15% per year (WRAP, 2011). However, they are notoriously difficult to recycle due to a complex mix of layers, coatings, and contaminants. According to the United Nations' sustainable goals (World Without Waste) by 2030, all materials used will be sustainable, the aim being to fully introduce packaging that does not require any new fossil fuels (Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns). Our vision is to reduce plastic waste from laminated packaging entering the environment using our seaweed-based laminated packaging to support companies providing seaweed-dependent products, according to planet-centred design. Algreen designs fully biobased laminated packaging that mimics the performance/aesthetic of plastic laminated packaging. Biodegradables were highlighted as a critical component in developing more circular systems and supply chains by Bioplastics Europe. Algreen aims to support the UN's sustainable development goals, including clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, and partnership for the goals. The most effective way to reduce plastic waste from packaging is to use alternative biobased materials that are less destructive. Our solution takes advantage of world-class advancements in biochemistry, creating a tangible, scalable alternative to plastic laminated packaging. It aligns with new government priorities for Clean Growth, Green Recovery and provides planted-centred design to align with our customers' seaweed products portfolios. This project will build on 6-month planet-centred design and innovation on Algreen, we will undertake: • People&planet-centred designed laminated packaging to align with our customers' seaweed-based product portfolios. • In-lab testing to assess performance and durability like-for-like to plastic, environmental performance and pressure under manufacturing processes. • Manufacturability assessment to optimise formulas to ensure Algreen can meet manufacturing requirements. • Build a GTM strategy and carry out consultations with key stakeholders e.g manufacturers/brands that have signed the Plastics Pact such as Unilever, CocaCola and BPF to inform laminated packaging development. We will seek advice from FSA regarding food safety regulations on flexibles and films. • Validate our environmental claims with an LCA.

Plastic labels generate 60,000 metric tons of such packaging wastes containing 17,000 metric tons of aluminum used in Great Britain in 2015\. They are typically made of fossil-fuel-derived virgin plastics, adhesives, contaminants and inks. Some laminated packaging formats are estimated to be growing by between 10% and 15% per year (WRAP, 2011). However, they are notoriously difficult to recycle due to a complex mix of layers, coatings, and contaminants. According to the United Nations' sustainable goals (World Without Waste) by 2030, all materials used will be sustainable, the aim being to fully introduce packaging that does not require any new fossil fuels (Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns). Our vision is to reduce plastic waste from laminated packaging entering the environment using our seaweed-based laminated packaging to support companies providing seaweed-dependent products, according to planet-centred design. Algreen designs fully biobased laminated packaging that mimics the performance/aesthetic of plastic laminated packaging. Biodegradables were highlighted as a critical component in developing more circular systems and supply chains by Bioplastics Europe. Algreen aims to support the UN's sustainable development goals, including clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, and partnership for the goals. The most effective way to reduce plastic waste from packaging is to use alternative biobased materials that are less destructive. Our solution takes advantage of world-class advancements in biochemistry, creating a tangible, scalable alternative to plastic laminated packaging. It aligns with new government priorities for Clean Growth, Green Recovery and provides planted-centred design to align with our customers' seaweed products portfolios. This project will build on 6-month planet-centred design and innovation on Algreen, we will undertake: • People&planet-centred designed laminated packaging to align with our customers' seaweed-based product portfolios. • In-lab testing to assess performance and durability like-for-like to plastic, environmental performance and pressure under manufacturing processes. • Manufacturability assessment to optimise formulas to ensure Algreen can meet manufacturing requirements. • Build a GTM strategy and carry out consultations with key stakeholders e.g manufacturers/brands that have signed the Plastics Pact such as Unilever, CocaCola and BPF to inform laminated packaging development. We will seek advice from FSA regarding food safety regulations on flexibles and films. • Validate our environmental claims with an LCA.

Plastic pouches generate 895,000t of waste and are responsible for 2.7bn kgCO2e annually in the UK. They are typically made of fossil-fuel derived virgin plastics, coatings, adhesives, contaminants and inks. pouches are an essential and agnostic part of the packaging for bottles, food products and cosmetics, featuring product information, however, they are notoriously difficult to recycle due to a complex mix of layers, coatings, adhesives and contaminants. Our vision is to reduce plastic waste from pouches entering the environment using our pouches made from algae. Algreen is a fully biobased and biodegradable, waste-free, pressure-sensitive pouch that mimics performance/aesthetic of plastic pouches. Biodegradables were highlighted as a critical component in developing more circular systems and supply chains by Bioplastics Europe. The most effective way to reduce plastic waste from packaging/pouches is to use alternative biodegradable materials that are less destructive. Our solution takes advantage of world-class advancements in biochemistry, creating a tangible, scalable alternative to plastic pouches. It aligns with new government priorities for Clean Growth, Green Recovery and addresses 2 PACT targets (eliminating SUP packaging through innovation and increasing recyclability and compostability). This project will build on substantial in-lab testing on Algreen, we will undertake: * In-lab testing to assess performance and durability like-for-like to plastic, environmental performance and pressure under manufacturing processes. * Manufacturability assessment led by innovation centre Imperial College London/CPI to optimise formulas to ensure Algreen can meet manufacturing requirements. * Build a GTM strategy and carry out consultations supported by Algreen board advisors with key stakeholders e.g manufacturers/brands that have signed the Plastics Pact such as Unilever, CocaCola and BPF to inform pouch development. We will seek advice from FSA regarding food safety regulations pouches on flexibles and films. * Validate our environmental claims with an LCA.

The use of adhesive gives the clothes smoother lines, a lighter feel, and a sportier look, says Dyne founder Christopher Bevans, who has designed for Rocawear, Nike, and Kanye West. The adhesive can be used to create designs on top of the garments. They were Sewfree---fabricated and adorned using, essentially, glue. No thread stitches---not on the pockets, not along the seams. Besides high-end streetwear, you might find glue in your t-shirts, underwear, shorts, or jacket. And with clothes makers moving toward increased automation, the use of adhesives could become more practical than sewing robots. Outdoor wear brands extremely favour fabric adhesive, since stitches create puncture holes that allow water to seep through, whereas glue creates a waterproof barrier. However, opposite to the excellent usage of fabric adhesive in fashion products, the petrol-based adhesives mixed with textile permanently stop the recycling of those fibers. Global textiles waste is increasing from 92 to 134 million tonnes from 2017 to 2023\. They are either dumped into landfills or burned. The fashion industry accounts for 8-10% of global carbon emissions. By one estimate, reusing 1 kilogram of clothing saves 3.6 kg of CO2, 6,000 liters of water, 0.3 kg of chemical fertilizers and 0.2 kg of insecticides, compared with making garments from virgin resources. Asia Pacific presents more needs in fashion products due to the rapidly rising urbanization and industrialization in the region. Our project partner, Asia Polyurethane located in Singapore, also supports Singapore Fashion Law 2021 regarding sustainability in the Southeast Asia region produced by Fashion Revolution Singapore. Besides ethical reasons, textile impurities prevent the recycling of a significant amount of fashion items. In this case, innovation in biobased and degradable fabric glue to support fashion product recycling is already in urgent demand. Both high street and premium fashions brands are continuously looking for sustainable fashion materials, such as H&M global change for sustainable innovation, LVMH LIFE 360 focusing on environmental excellence, and Kering circularity challenge. In the UK, the purchase of clothing rose by almost 20% between 2012 and 2016, and around 921,000 tonnes of used textiles are disposed of in household waste each year. This project aligns with UK's Sustainable Clothing Action Plan, a voluntary agreement coordinated by WRAP, to prevent fashion waste. In 2021, the UK government unveils plans for a wide-ranging Waste Prevention Programme, which proposals to support sustainable fashion unveiled on Global Recycling Day.

Algreen aims to **firstly** achieve the development of environmentally sustainable and formaldehyde-free chipboards from **natural seaweed and wastepaper**. **Formaldehyde is a petrochemical and known human carcinogen** **associated with the development of childhood asthma (WHO)**. Commercial chipboards use formaldehyde to glue wood chips together to make indoor/outdoor furniture, such as desks, wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, beds and even baby cribs. Furniture containing formaldehyde can continue **emitting formaldehyde gas for up to 10 years**. Algreen chipboard is a natural and formaldehyde-free alternative made from seaweed and wastepaper soon entering the green furniture market. That's a reason to breathe a sigh of relief, as lots of people would need to hold their breath around chipboard and other composite products for fear of a reaction. There are so many toxic chemicals in homes that **indoor air quality is often up to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.** This contributes to the large rise in chemical sensitivities and the spike in children's asthma rate. **Algreen uses underused seaweed and recycled wastepaper, making our production highly scalable.** Recycling is a key environmental concern, especially when it comes to paper. Not only does it help to save trees, which is crucial to the sustainability of our planet, but **recycling one tonne of paper**, also saves at least 30,000 litres of water and between 3000 to 4000 kWh of electricity. This is enough to sustain an average three-bedroomed house for a whole year. Producing recycled paper also requires a 28-70% lower energy consumption and uses less water -- there's no doubt it's the better option for the planet. However, the paper fibre becomes too degraded to be reused after being recycled **7 times**. **To extend the lifecycle of recycled wastepaper,** Algreen chipboards recycle wastepaper regardless of degradation to make sustainable furniture. Meanwhile, **the seaweed aquaculture industry is good for the economy and good for the ocean.** The process of growing seaweed is environmentally friendly. Apart from planting the seeds and ensuring the seaweed is in a clean environment, seaweed often does not need feeds or additional attention. The plants can grow naturally. Seaweed farms also create safe and healthy nursery grounds for young fish and crustaceans that can later be commercially harvested or left to improve wild population levels. Merely the presence of seaweed farms can prevent deep-sea bottom trawling in certain areas and protect the seafloor.

**VISION** Algreen developed sustainable and cost-effective chipboards from natural seaweed and wastepaper. Algreen chipboard using eco-friendly seaweed-based adhesive rather than petrol-based adhesive to glue the wastepaper chips. Thanks to Algreen's novel technology, Algreen chipboard is high-scalable, environmentally sustainable and VOC-free. **PROBLEM** Traditionally, chipboard is made by mixing particles or flakes of wood or jute-stick together with a resin and forming the mixture into a sheet. Chipboard is widely used for building construction and household furniture such as kitchen cabinets, bookcases, doors, windows, and covering the walls and floor. Most commercial chipboard is environmentally unfriendly, which contains highly toxic and carcinogenic adhesive, formaldehyde, which releases formaldehyde gas (VOC) into the atmosphere. Furniture containing formaldehyde can continue emitting small amounts of gas for up to 10 years. **MARKET** The global chipboard market reached a value of £15 Billion in 2020 (CAGR of 4.4% during 2021-2026). Countries including China, the United States, and Germany account for the largest markets in the furniture industry. China is the dominant exporter of wood furniture to the EU. China is the largest market base in the Asia-Pacific region, owing to its ever-increasing population, rising income, and rapid urbanization. It is also one of the major manufacturing hubs for almost every industry. After COVID, market recovery is speculated to be witnessed. Thus, the projected growing construction and furniture industries are expected to boost the demand in the local particle boards market in the post-pandemic recovery period. **ALGREEN SUSTAINABILITY** Recycling is a key global environmental concern, but especially when it comes to paper. Not only does it help to save trees, which is crucial to the sustainability of our planet, but recycling one tonne of paper, also saves at least 30,000 litres of water and between 3000 to 4000 kWh of electricity. This is enough to sustain an average three-bedroomed house for a whole year. Producing recycled paper also requires between 28-70% less energy consumption and uses less water. Open ocean seaweed farms can improve water quality. The World Bank predicts that achieving a global production of 500 million tons of seaweed by 2050 would absorb 10 million tons of nitrogen, which is 30% of the nitrogen estimated to enter the ocean, and 15 million tons of phosphorus. That same seaweed production of 500 million tons would consume 135 million tons of carbon, which is 3.2% of the carbon added to seawater each year from GHGs emissions.

**PROBLEM** The fashion and architecture industries are facing sustainable challenges. Algreen develops the first fully biodegradable material from sustainable seaweed for producing sustainable buttons and hangers used in the fashion industry and sustainable chipboard used for architecture. Plastic/polyester is the major resource for making **buttons**. 80% of buttons are littered and resulted in environmental pollution. **Plastic Hangers** are the 'fashion industry's plastic straw'. The total production of clothes hangers worldwide is estimated to emit 6.5 million tons of CO2\. **Chipboard** always contains petroleum-derived adhesives, which emit volatile organic compounds (VOC), most of the formaldehyde, which is a "known human carcinogen".