Synthetic Biology

Spider silk, “can be tougher than Kevlar, lighter than carbon fiber, and warmer than the densest down,” writes John Cumbers, a senior contributor for manufacturing in Forbes. Seen as a holy grail of biomaterials, the silk is often expensive because of its natural production relying on spiders. 

What if the spiders were no longer needed to make that silk? In Japan, a biomaterial company called Spiber is doing just that, creating spider silk textiles without spiders. Creating the “grown material” is done by synthetic biology, a science field where DNA is edited to program or reprogram microorganisms. 

Rewriting DNA to make non-spider, spider silk might seem like sci-fi technology, however, synthetic biology is a quickly growing field. 

Other companies are using DNA manipulation to create more sustainable packaging materials. Using biological derivatives, new goods can be easily created with smaller carbon footprints. Plastics can be created without a reliance on petroleum use to limit reliance on fleeting resources.  

Multiple US startups can make animal products without animals. By growing animal cells using synthetic biology, there is no need to harvest our seas for fish or need the highly polluting leather and beef industries. 

For example, Geltor, a “California-based startup is creating advanced proteins for the beauty market. It launched HumaColl21™, a skin-care collagen product, in Korea earlier this year. The product contains actual human collagen, bio-designed and grown via fermentation. This new form of collagen is the first of its kind, eliminating the need for animal harvesting,” Cumbers wrote. 

Thanks to synthetic biology, sustainability in our shopping is no longer a buzzword. And choosing between products we love and companies that we can get behind may no longer be necessary.