Seastex

In April 2021, an opportunity within the mussel industry came to our attention. a by-product called Mussel Beards, also known as Byssus. Our byssus material began its journey as nothing more than a by-product. Initially filled with broken shells, algae, sediment, and an unpleasant odour. this discarded by-product undergoes a transformative process through our exceptional eco-friendly clean & recycling technology redirecting it away from landfills, incineration or biomass, and repurposing it into novel materials. Seastex Ltd, founded in June 2021, has pioneered the development of mussel beard products through its novel clean and textile recycling technologies, which are paving the way for innovative, safe, and circular materials. The first few years were dedicated to R&D, proof of concept testing, and developing byssus-specific technology alongside our MVP. All work remained confidential until the MVP was launched at the London Design Festival in September 2023. We now operate a Glasgow-based pilot facility that produces materials daily, year-round. PROBLEM Outdated Technology: Although a hand-full of trials globally have explored R&D on mussel beards, they have relied on outdated textile technologies, resulting in so-called sustainable composites that still contain synthetic binders - leading to the same environmental harm, high carbon footprint, and a linear, rather than circular, product. While old technologies can help prove a concept, they are also the reason we face current challenges. SOLUTION New Technologies: We developed novel textile clean technologies to harness the mussel beard’s unique properties, integrating key circular economy principles and energy efficiency, while simultaneously advancing our MVP - a high-risk, and traditionally costly approach. By leveraging our cost-effective design strategy and production methods, Seastex successfully developed a first-of-its-kind pilot production line in-house in under 1.5 years.