Startup Spotlight #147: AlgiKnit
AlgiKnit is creating eco-conscious, renewable yarns for the circular economy.
Author’s Note: Happy Sunday! - Soda
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I got the chance to speak with Aleks Gosiewski, co-founder and COO of AlgiKnit, about what she’s working on at her startup, and any advice she has for emerging entrepreneurs.
AlgiKnit is a biomaterials company creating eco-conscious, renewable yarns for the circular economy. They’re developing durable yet rapidly degradable yarns from kelp, one of the most regenerative organisms on the planet.
Gosiewski is a fashion designer turned entrepreneur, focused on green solutions to fight climate change. With a mission to understand the earth’s natural resources, she explores the importance of utilizing raw materials in the creation of textiles and garments within her work. Having graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in Fashion Design and a minor in economics, she harnesses the creativity of design thinking with steadfast attention to detail in business operations and practicality.
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Startup Spotlight: AlgiKnit
Problem: The fashion industry is one of the planet’s greatest polluters and carbon emitters, and textiles are responsible for the majority of a garment’s overall impact.
Market: By 2030, the textile industry will be valued at $1.4 trillion. Our segment, the ecotextiles market, is projected to reach $110 billion by this time.
Solution: To help address the polluting nature of the fashion industry, we’re reimagining what a textile’s environmental footprint will be. Our product uses a renewable raw material (kelp), utilizes clean, non-toxic production processes, and we’re working hard to ensure that it exists and degrades within a closed-loop life cycle.
Team: Lead by Co-founders Tessa Callaghan (CEO), Aaron Nesser (CTO), and myself (Aleksandra Goseiwski (COO), our team is made up of a vibrant group of scientists, designers, and interdisciplinary thinkers who are working to make the world a more eco-conscious place.
Recent Success:
Gosiewski: One really great part about our product is that it’s able to seamlessly integrate into all parts of the value chain. From raw material to end product, we have been able to leverage existing manufacturing and processing systems. All while eliminating the use of harmful and toxic chemicals in the process. This is something that is allowing us to scale quickly and efficiently while minimizing our environmental footprint.
Recent Struggle:
Gosiewski: All too often, consumers will see an idea or concept and begin asking where and when they can get it. It’s sometimes hard to communicate the reality that developing a new material can take longer than expected to come to fruition. Put simply, it takes time for us to provide what both brands and customers need, and further, it takes a great deal of investment and logistical maneuvering to ensure our product will succeed. We’re hard at work to make sure AlgiKnit will be accessible to all.
Founder Advice:
Gosiewski: Don’t be afraid to reach out and connect! When I think of AlgiKnit, so much of our success and progress as a company can be connected back to our community. We’re really thankful for the bonds we’ve been able to form with other companies, investors, and individuals, and we want our community to grow even larger. If you’re an entrepreneur reading this, please reach out!
Three Cool Founders You Should Know About:
Gosiewski: Here are three founders you should check out next!
Michelle Zhu, Founder of Huue: Huue (formerly Tinctorium) uses biotechnology to create the world’s most sustainable dyes for the industries that are shaping the future of Earth.
Scott Fullbright, Founder of Living Ink Technologies: Living Ink is a cutting edge materials science company developing the next-generation of ink and coatings.
Julia March, Founder of Sway: Sway combats environmental pollution and degradation by replacing single-use plastics with seaweed based packaging.
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