Beyond Plastic: How Next‑Gen Materials Rewire Supply Chains

A quiet revolution is reshaping how we make things: from waste-to-value systems and bio-based materials like mycelium, seaweed, hemp, and lab-grown leather, new platforms are turning today’s byproducts into tomorrow’s high-performance, climate-positive supply chains.

The materials transition is quietly becoming one of the biggest climate and economic stories of the decade, with waste, fungi, seaweed, hemp, and lab-grown materials redefining how things are made and where value is created. Evolvia’s Materials thesis adds a sharp filter: sustainable materials must not only be better for the planet, they must be scalable, functional, and cheap enough to displace incumbents at industrial scale.

From waste problem to materials goldmine

The current “take–make–waste” economy leaks over 90% of materials after a single use, turning supply chains into sieves and landfills into balance-sheet liabilities. This creates a double crisis: toxic pollution on one side, and trillions in lost material value on the other.

A waste-to-value (W2V) ecosystem is emerging that treats waste streams as premium feedstock instead of an afterthought. Evolvia invests in W2V solutions that can process large, consistent volumes and hit cost points competitive with virgin materials, because only then will manufacturers retool their processes at scale.

Bio-fabrication: materials that grow themselves

Bio-based platforms like mycelium and seaweed invert the traditional materials paradigm: instead of extracting and refining, we cultivate and grow materials with desirable properties. These platforms can be modular and distributed, using low-grade or waste feedstocks.

Evolvia’s focus here is clear: mycelium, seaweed, and other bio-fabricated materials that are not just novel but functional and cheap, with credible paths to industrial volumes. This means backing teams that think in terms of supply chains, certification, and unit economics—not just breakthrough lab results.

Regenerative crops: hemp as a materials workhorse

Industrial hemp is a fast-growing, carbon-sequestering crop that can decarbonize construction and textiles at once, from hempcrete to fiber composites. Yet the real bottleneck is midstream: processing capacity, standards, and reliable quality for large buyers.

Evolvia backs industrial hemp solutions that can plug into existing construction and textile markets without asking buyers to pay a premium forever. The bar is parity or better on performance and price, plus a roadmap to the economies of scale that can truly change business practices.

No‑compromise materials: lab-grown leather and wool

Lab-manufactured leather or wool aim to deliver the look and feel of premium animal products without the emissions, land use, and ethical baggage. They target high-value segments like luxury, automotive, and performance fashion.

Evolvia’s stance: these materials only win if they achieve cost and scale parity with legacy hides and fibers while meeting strict quality requirements. That is why the focus is on platforms and processes that can scale up production, drive costs down the curve, and integrate into existing brands and manufacturing systems.

Why this is where Evolvia leans in

Evolvia invests in Series A+ materials startups building solutions in waste-to-value, biodegradable materials, and sustainable systems that are scalable, functional, and cheap. The underlying rationale is explicit: sustainable materials need economies of scale. New solutions must achieve lower or comparable costs to legacy materials and be scalable enough to meet demand, or they will remain niche.