Many MindedEverbloom turns cashmere scraps and feather lint into a regulator-approved fiber
Everbloom, a New York City startup, has developed a textile fiber called renoa, a cashmere substitute and the company's first product. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission recently approved it as the first new fiber classification in 25 years. Everbloom has spent three years on development and is now scaling up production.
The feedstock is waste protein: cashmere and wool scraps, plus down and feather lint left over from the bedding industry. Everbloom grinds this into powder, blends it with a biodegradable biopolymer, and extrudes it to a length and diameter that imitate specific natural fibers. The company also built its own AI model for material science. Early products are expected to use renoa as a blend, roughly 20% of a cashmere sweater. A reporter who tried an 80/20 cashmere-renoa blend found it extremely close to real cashmere. CEO Sim Gulati expects the first product on the market in the second quarter of 2027, and says several companies are working with Everbloom on consumer products.
Why it matters: textiles lean heavily on cotton, petroleum synthetics and scarce animal fibers. A fiber built from existing waste streams widens the material supply, and an official classification makes it easier for brands to use. If it works at scale, a premium fiber could get cheaper and less resource-hungry, which also touches the commons through reduced waste.
The caveats are large. No price figures have been given, so the cost advantage is promised, not shown. Durability claims, including no pilling and no shrinkage after months of wear and washing, rest on Gulati and one test scarf, not independent testing. His claim that commercial finishing will close the remaining gap with cashmere is unverified. The reporter's impressions come from one visit to headquarters, and the 2027 launch is an expectation. Watch for pricing and real production volumes.
Source: TechCrunch