A type of microorganism that lives in aqueous conditions. Algae contain chlorophyll like plants and use photosynthesis to grow. Unlike plants, they have no real roots or leaves. Most algae live in water as small, single cells called microalgae, or as larger structures made of many cells like seaweed.

A textile material used to support and improve the characteristics of another material eg. for strength. A backer may be woven, knitted or non-woven and be made from fibers such as polyester or organic cotton. The backer may be glued to the back of a biomaterial or, in the case of liquid formulations, the biobased solution coats the textile backer. Innovators generally look to brands for guidance on their textile backer preference.

Bacteria are unicellular microorganisms, 1000 times smaller than a millimeter. Bacteria feed on nutrients such as sugar during a fermentation process to produce ingredients such as pigments and dyes, fibers such as cellulose and proteins such as collagen. They are the foundation for many applications in biotech consumer materials.

A substance used to make other materials mix or stick together. A binder may be of virgin fossil origin, for example, polyurethane (PU), (PU can also be biobased). Binders can also be derived from vegetable oil, for example polylactic acid (PLA) or from natural sources such as rubber from the Hevea brasiliensis tree. The percentage of binder added can vary across different materials.

A bioassembled material is grown directly by living microorganisms such as mycelium or bacteria. The organism either makes up the material (e.g. mycelium) or may still be present in the material (e.g. bacteria), but the materials are rendered inert so the organisms cannot re-grow. In each case the material literally grows into a structure without human or mechanical intervention.

A biobased product is made wholly or partly from biomass, such as from plants, animals or microbes. It is defined by both the EU and USDA.

A material that can be broken down by microorganisms found in nature, or in a specialized environment like an industrial composting facility. Biodegradation in a marine environment is a further case. The material parts should break down in a certain time frame and not be harmful to the environment. Biodegradation does not depend on the material used but rather the chemical structure. For example, some fossil fuel derived materials may biodegrade while some biobased materials may not.

Sourced from living things (biology).

Biodiversity is the combination of different types of life found in a place, including animals, plants, insects, fungi, and smaller organisms like bacteria too. A high level of biodiversity is essential to maintain balance and support life for healthy ecosystems.

Biofabricated (or biomanufactured) materials are produced by living cells (e.g. mammalian) and microorganisms, such as algae, bacteria, yeast, and mycelium. Pigments may be biofabricated, as may nature’s building blocks such as proteins for materials, bacteria can even produce cellulose fibers.

Another word for biofabricated. In both instances biology is making something usually in a fermentation process.

The dry mass of a living thing. Commonly, biomass is taken as waste from other industries for new purposes. For example, agricultural biomass is the dry mass of plant waste left over from farming.

A general term used for any material that is in some way biologically derived. Biomaterial also covers materials such as leather and cotton.

Biomimicry is a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges. Although it contains the ‘bio’ prefix, it doesn't necessarily indicate a design solution created with biology. A famous example of biomimicry in design is the shape of the Japanese ‘bullet’ train. It is inspired by a Kingfisher bird and enables the train to move through tunnels at fast speeds without a ‘boom’ while saving on energy and noise.

A type of sugar alcohol, or polyol, sourced from biological resources such as vegetable oils. Primarily used to make polyurethanes.

A biopsy involves taking a small sample of tissue from a living animal, usually by scraping the skin surface to gather cells. The cells are grown outside of the living organism, such as in a test tube in a laboratory environment. A biopsy from a living animal such as a cow may be the origin of cells used to grow a leather-like material in the lab.

A type of carbohydrate produced by plants using photosynthesis. Fibers found in plant seeds, stems or leaves are made from cellulose to keep them rigid. Cellulose sourced from wood can be regenerated with chemicals to form man-made cellulosics (MMCs).

When manufacturing a product, a co-product is any other substance made during manufacturing that is useful and can be recycled or sold on for profit. For example, in some protein fermentation, co-products may be sold as ingredients for beauty.

A type of protein with a fibrous shape that makes up connective tissue like skin. 30% of all protein found in mammals is collagen. Leather is a collagen-based material.

Materials that can break down into substances that do not cause environmental harm, such as water, carbon dioxide, or biomass. Compostable materials can be certified under different standards, please click here for more information.

Companies that provide product development or manufacturing services on a contractual basis. Many biomaterial producers leverage CMOs to scale their materials rather than build their own facility.

Formation of bonds between polymer chains so the chains are linked together. Cross-linking is used to change physical properties of polymers, for example to make them more rigid. In some cases it can also change the degradation rate - how fast a polymer breaks down.

Crude oil is an important fuel used in the petrochemical industry. It is made from organisms that lived millions of years ago and were compressed over millions of years. There is a limited amount of crude oil on the planet and it is non-renewable. Some fibers like synthetic polyester are made from crude oil.

Microorganisms are grown in labs with a special substance called a culture. The substance creates the right growth conditions to help living bacteria, yeast, tissues or plant and animal cells to reproduce.

A series of operations needed to isolate, purify, and concentrate a product. Sources may be animal tissue, plant tissue, or fermentation broths. Different operations such as cell lysis and centrifugation may be used to obtain a pure product. Includes recycling useful components and waste disposal.

An area where different types of living and nonliving things can interact. The living and nonliving parts have complex relationships where one small change can impact many others. For example, weather and water conditions (nonliving) can impact animals and plants (living things).

Describes the final stage in the lifecycle of a product, for example whether it is recycled, resold or landfilled. What happens in the final stage is determined by multiple factors like the type of product and the owner.

Proteins that can speed up reactions without being used up themselves. They act as 'biological catalysts' which means they help make more products in a shorter space of time. Enzymes are used widely in laundry formulations to enable washing at lower temperatures.

A material used in the manufacturing of a product. A feedstock may be in the final product, or be used to help make the final product. In biomanufacturing, a ‘bio-feedstock’ can refer to multiple things - from what is ‘fed’ into the process (e.g. biomass), through to nutrition for an organism (e.g. sugar), or even the organism itself (e.g. bacteria). The feedstock is not always present in the final product. See also 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation feedstocks.

Sourced from food or feed crops, such as corn, wheat, sugarcane, potato sugar, beet, rice, plant oil and fruit. Unintended consequences of using a First-Generation bio-feedstock could be: competition with food crops, land use change, use of pesticides and GMOs, reliance on industrial monoculture.

Bio-feedstocks that do not compete directly with food and feed crops because they are derived from biomass such as industrial waste or agricultural residues of nonfood crops such as wheat straw, fruit waste, or wood waste. These are an improvement over First-Generation and are becoming available on the market today. However, they do still hold potential negative consequences such as pesticide and GMO use, land use change and reliance on industrial monoculture farming.

A process used to grow microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, fungi and algae to brew useful ingredients. The microorganisms are grown in specialized vessels called fermentors or bioreactors that control conditions for successful growth. Fermentation also takes place in static trays. The microorganisms are fed a nutrient source (a feedstock such as sugar). Beer and wine have been fermented for thousands of years, but today we can also ferment biomaterials.

A common component in animal cell culture media, it is rich in the nutrients needed to support cell growth. Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is harvested from bovine fetuses taken from pregnant cows during slaughter. It comes with ethical implications, is expensive, and not viable at scale. Innovators working with animal cell culture usually aim to secure a plant-based alternative.

Fibers are the building elements for yarns and textiles. They are small, thread-like strands made from plant, animal or synthetic substances. Many fibers can be twisted together to make yarns. Yarns are interlaced, such as by weaving or knitting, to make different fabrics.

A type of cell that helps to form connective tissue like skin. Fibroblasts produce collagen and maintain the tissue structure. They may be used in the production of lab-grown leather alternatives.

Fibroin is one of the two key proteins produced by the larvae of Bombyx mori used for silk, the other is sericin. Fibroin is a tunable, biocompatible material that is used for biomaterials inside the human body. It is now also used for consumer textile applications, such as a coating for fabrics and leather.

Fossil resources include coal, oil and natural gas which are non-renewable. They were made millions of years ago from the remains of plants and animals that cannot be remade. This type of resource has a high amount of carbon and stores chemical energy that is released as heat when burnt. When burnt, fossil resources release greenhouse gasses which contribute to global warming.

Fungi are eukaryotic microorganisms found in nearly every habitat on the planet, but are mainly found in soil. They can be made of single cells like yeast or create structures using many cells. A fungal structure is made up of thread-like strands known as hyphae which are organized into a network known as a mycelium. We are most familiar with mushrooms, the fruiting body produced by mycelial networks. Fungi are decomposers and grow in soil or on dead plant matter to recycle carbon and other elements.

Alteration of the genetic material (DNA) of organisms such as plants, animals or microorganisms, through a process called genetic engineering which does not occur naturally or through traditional cross-breeding. The technology is often called ‘modern biotechnology’, ‘gene editing’, sometimes also ‘recombinant DNA technology’ or ‘genetic engineering’. It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, also between non related species.

Global warming is the slowly increasing temperature of the Earth's surface. The warming is caused by greenhouse gasses that trap heat from the Sun in the atmosphere, allowing heat in but not out. Examples of greenhouse gasses are carbon dioxide and methane. Climate change is a long term impact of global warming.

Some gasses in the atmosphere, like water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane, trap heat inside the Earth’s atmosphere. Human activities have caused an increase in these gasses which means more heat is trapped in the atmosphere.

Fiber-like strands in a mycelium network made of fungal cells.

Where a microbe is implanted into another medium. In biofabrication inoculation happens when a microbe is introduced to the growing media such as in fermentation.

A type of protein found in animal cells with a fibrous structure. Keratin creates a tough outer layer on the inside and outer surfaces of organisms and is the main protein in hair, scales, feathers and horns.

A multi-step analysis that measures the environmental impact of a manufactured product during its lifetime. The main stages are: 1. Gathering raw materials and processing them. 2. Making the product and the packaging. 3. Using the product. 4. Disposing of the product at the end of its useful life. A full LCA includes goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation.

The inventory is the data collected for a lifecycle assessment. Therefore, the lifecycle inventory analysis is where the data is analyzed for environmental impact.

Cells obtained from a mammal. A mammal is a type of animal that produces milk to feed their young and is warm blooded with hair or fur. Mammalian cells may be used in lab-based technologies such as tissue-culture to grow a leather alternative.

A material made with cellulose from plants. The cellulose is regenerated from wood or forest resources to form a man-made material. Viscose, Lyocell and Modal are all forms of MMCs.

Small types of algae that are made of single cells and can only be seen

A very small organism that can only be seen in detail under a microscope, like bacteria or yeast. They can live in water, soil, air or even in the human body. Does not include viruses, which are classed as non-living.

An early version of a product that can be used by customers to provide feedback. By releasing a minimum viable product, a producer can avoid unnecessary lengthy product development and gain customer insights early on. Typically it will lack some of the features of a more developed product.

A form of agriculture where only one type of crop is grown.

A large fungal network with a branch-like structure made up of hyphae.

Very small, lightweight fibers compared to conventional fibers. Their outer diameter is up to 1000 nanometers (nm) wide. A human hair is approximately 80,000 - 100,000 nanometers wide.

All living things are called organisms. Some organisms can be made of a single cell like bacteria. Others have many cells and are called multicellular organisms such as plants, animals, humans and fungi.

A non-renewable chemical made from fossil resources.

Process used by plants to make carbohydrates like cellulose. A pigment in a plant called chlorophyll helps convert light energy and raw materials used in photosynthesis.

Stem cells can grow into all other specialized cells needed in the body. Pluripotent stem cells can self renew and divide continuously.

A polymer is a large chain-like molecule. The larger molecule is made up of smaller molecules that repeat to form the chain.

Proteins are large molecules made up of smaller units called amino acids. They make up the structure, function and control of organisms. Muscle, skin, and hair tissue are made from proteins like collagen and keratin.

European regulation to help protect human health and the environment from risks associated with chemical substances. Restricts substances of high concern and helps with early identification of harmful chemicals.

Energy from a natural resource that can be renewed faster than it is used, such as wind or solar power.

A list of hazardous chemicals that are restricted for health and safety measures in finished textile products. Different lists can have various chemicals and thresholds. An example of a restricted substance list is REACH.

In the context of biomaterials, a scaffold is a textile structure that acts as a 3D template for microbes or cells which attach to the scaffold and grow into a form.

A type of fermentation where trays of solid agricultural or industrial waste (like hemp hurd) and nutrients (like dextrose) are used as a substrate to grow a material. Typically used for the production of mycelium materials. The solid substrate in the tray is inoculated with mycelium and placed in a chamber with the right temperature and air flow for fermentation.

A type of fermentation where a sheet of material grows on the surface of a liquid. The liquid is called the fermentation broth and contains nutrients for an organism to grow. Kept at optimum conditions, the liquid is not agitated during the fermentation process. It is typically used for the production of bacterial cellulose or mycelium materials.

A type of fermentation where the liquid broth is stirred during the fermentation process. Agitation causes the biomaterial to form in clumps which are then harvested and removed from the broth. Typically used for the production of bacterial dyes and other bio-derived chemicals.

The base of where an organism lives or moves through. Soil is the substrate of plants. A tray of agricultural waste may be the substrate for mycelium growth.

Synthetic materials are made by human beings rather than nature. Synthetic products usually come from non-renewable fossil resources. Two common examples of synthetic textiles are polyester and polyamide (Nylon).

Synthetic biology is a field of science that involves redesigning organisms for useful purposes by engineering them to have new abilities. Synthetic biology researchers and companies around the world are harnessing the power of biology to solve problems in medicine, manufacturing and agriculture.

A place where animal hides are treated with chemicals to make them into durable and long lasting leather. The process is called tanning and the facility is called a tannery.

In biology, a tissue is a group of specialized cells. The cells all have a similar arrangement that can carry out a specific task. For example, muscle tissue helps move bones around joints.

Area of engineering that looks for ways to repair, replace or renew tissues or organs that may be damaged. Tissue engineering is used to create artificial skin to help replace damaged skin. It is also being used to grow a leather alternative.

A very small fungus made up of single cells shaped like ovals. Yeast can convert sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Through synbio they can produce other ingredients such as proteins like collagen to make a material.