Revolutionary biomaterials
for forward thinkers.
Performance
meets possibility.
Using cutting-edge technology modeled on nature’s own design, Polybion™ grows premium, high-performance biomaterials from fruit waste.
From linear to circular
From leftover to constructive
From old ways to Celium™
We believe biology is the best tool to face our global challenges. We use locally produced agro-industrial fruit waste as raw material to craft forward-thinking biomaterials such as Celium™- Premium Cultivated Cellulose. By manufacturing with the building blocks of life and circularizing supply chains, we produce a superior material while prioritizing our planet.
Natural systems are cyclical; waste becomes nutrients that initiate new growth. By learning from nature, Polybion™ developed a production model that is not linear but a loop, simultaneously alleviating three major environmental problems: livestock, food waste, and plastic. This represents a paradigm shift from centuries of resource-mining practices to the regenerative cultivation of resources. Polybion™ is proud to be leading this charge.
Founded by brothers Axel and Alexis Gómez Ortigoza with Bárbara González Rolón, PhD, Polybion™ is a diverse group of biotechnologists, chemists, biologists, engineers, financiers, creatives, designers, and political scientists. We take inspiration from natural processes and organisms, and we share a common dream to create a better world.
Impact requires scale
Bio innovations and sustainable solutions face a common challenge: scalability.
By 2030, as the consumer class reaches nearly 5 billion, affordability and accessibility become crucial for next-gen materials like Celium™ - Premium Cultivated Cellulose.
In 2022, we reached a pivotal milestone by launching FOAK I, the first-ever bacterial cellulose production facility. Spanning 14,000 sq. ft., it's designed to produce 1.1 million sq. ft. of Celium™ annually.
Our scaling strategy is built on three pillars: volume, consistent quality, and competitive pricing. Unlike other biomaterials, our process uses minimal infrastructure and fruit waste, leveraging existing large-scale fermentation equipment. This not only makes scaling up more feasible but also ensures our technology can be easily adopted worldwide.
During 2024, we're focusing on automating our processes to enhance efficiency, quality, and reduce cycle times.
Where biology meets creativity, the future unfolds.
Celium™
Cel (derived from the word cellulose, the most abundant organic polymer on Earth) + ium (the Latin suffix used in chemical elements)
Celium™- Premium Cultivated Cellulose, is grown by feeding bacteria with agroindustrial fruit waste. A versatile textile with endless design possibilities, it can be customized by color, graining, embossing, and water resistance—all while preserving its exceptional strength.
Celium™ is vegan and organic, and we control the thickness through its growth, making it easy to tailor. Due to its biological nature, each piece of Celium™ is unique and distinct as a fingerprint, lending it the hallmark of luxury.
Nature chose cellulose to structure many of its most precious creations. We’ve captured that wisdom in Celium™.
Technology
We industrialized cellular agriculture to biofabricate Celium™. Combining material science with bioengineering, our technology is scalable, modular, and high yielding.
In cellular agriculture, cells from fungi, bacteria, or mammals consume nutrients in a sterile environment that promotes growth. We grow Celium™ by feeding bacteria with agro-industrial fruit waste. But first, we set up the perfect environment for the cells to self-organize and they create the cellulose structure as a metabolic by-product. Once formed, Celium’s cell-based membrane undergoes a sustainable stabilization process to achieve its high-performance characteristics.
Our production model is EPA, REACH, and ZDHC compliant and concentrated within a 30-mile radius, dramatically reducing our carbon footprint. There is currently enough of the fruit waste we use to produce 168,000,000 square feet of Celium™ annually (and we have identified three other types of local fruit waste equally abundant). With zero hazardous chemicals released in any part of the process, nor significant biomass outputs between growth cycles, Celium™ is as circular as it gets.
Celium™: A Closer Look Through Nature Biotechnology
- Published on
- June 4, 2025
Earlier this month, Nature Biotechnology published a piece that takes a closer look at how Celium™ is grown and refined, featuring insights from José Manuel Aguilar, our Chief Scientific Officer.
It’s the first time our CSO has shared his perspective in an international interview, offering a clear picture of how Celium™ moves from fruit waste to a high-performance material.
This article takes a more scientific approach to our work, examining not just what Celium™ is, but how it’s made and why each step matters. From the biological mechanisms that drive bacterial cellulose production to the engineering decisions that refine it into a performance material, the piece offers an in-depth look at the intersection of biology and precision manufacturing. It’s a perspective that rarely makes it into public view, but one that defines the daily work of our team.
As José Manuel explains, the bacteria produce this layer as a form of protection, a natural response that we’ve learned to work with rather than against. This process transforms fruit waste into sheets of Celium™ Premium Cultivated Cellulose that can be shaped, finished and put to use in demanding applications.
Axel Gómez-Ortigoza, our co-founder, also shares how we approach the seasonality of the raw material. By storing mango waste and using it throughout the year, we stay close to natural cycles while ensuring steady production.
What stands out in this conversation is that Celium™ is not an abstract idea or a proof of concept, it’s a platform built on the principles of precision and repeatability. The piece also notes how Celium™ has moved beyond the lab into collaborations with brands and real-world manufacturing, validating the material in settings where performance matters most.
We’re pleased to see Celium™ Premium Cultivated Cellulose featured in a publication that values the technical rigor behind new materials. It’s a moment to share our work more widely and to highlight the dedication of the team behind every step. As we continue to build and refine, we’re grateful for the chance to bring more voices and perspectives into this conversation.
We invite you to read the full article and see how our work with Celium™ Premium Cultivated Cellulose is moving forward driven by precision, guided by nature, and supported by a dedicated team.