Good Fibes

Good Fibes is a biotech startup focused on revolutionizing the textile industry through the development of biodegradable, bio-based performance fabrics. Founded by Dr. Lauren Blake and Dr. Alexis Peña, the company utilizes protein design and cellular agriculture to engineer recombinant elastic proteins, such as silk elastin-like proteins (SELPs), which are derived from E. coli. By transforming these proteins into a gel-like material and using wet-spinning and additive manufacturing techniques, the company creates fibers that serve as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived synthetic textiles like spandex. This approach aims to address the industry's reliance on non-biodegradable plastics and the subsequent release of microplastics into the environment.

By leveraging the thermoresponsive properties of these engineered proteins, the company develops materials that offer tunable performance characteristics, including elasticity, tensile strength, and dye affinity, while ensuring consistent, year-round production capabilities that natural fibers like cotton or wool struggle to provide. Supported by organizations such as Argonne National Laboratory's Chain Reaction Innovations program and U.S. Department of Energy funding, Good Fibes is working toward commercializing these materials for the fashion and apparel sector. Their efforts focus on creating both non-woven and woven textile solutions to reduce environmental impact and advance the transition toward a circular textile economy.