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.
Polybion’s Celium™ Premium Cultivated Cellulose: Now Globally Available.
- Published on
- May 7, 2024
Polybion™ unveils the worldwide market debut of Celium™.
Marking a significant milestone for the company and bringing biomaterials a step closer to becoming a widely accessible choice for large-scale consumer applications. With the operational success of its pioneering bacterial cellulose manufacturing facility in Central Mexico, Polybion sets a new standard in the production of Celium™ Premium Cultivated Cellulose. The solar-powered plant is a testament to years of dedicated iteration, research and development, with a production capability poised to meet the increasing demand for next-generation materials.
Celium™ is grown by feeding bacteria with agroindustrial fruit waste. It is a unique fabric that offers a sustainable approach, and forward-thinking aesthetics to designers and material engineers. It can be dyed, embossed and tanned with chromium-free formulations using existing infrastructure, which allows for a lower negative impact to the environment than traditional fabrics. Due to its inherent biological composition, Celium™ possesses a character of its own, it refuses to be confined by the imitations of existing materials. Instead, it emerges as a new fabric with self-defining aesthetics.It offers a leather like feel, boasting unique properties tailored for fashion, sportswear, and automotive applications.
With its official availability to the general public in May 2024, Polybion’s Celium™ is set to create an entirely new category, not just to serve as a mimic of leather or another form of plastic, like most alternatives to leather in the market. The launch is complemented by the introduction of the Celium™ Swatch Sampler, a curated collection designed to inspire and enable designers and material engineers to explore the vast potential of this material. The sampler showcases the fabric’s remarkable versatility, showcasing a spectrum of possibilities. From vibrant marbled patterns achievable only with bacterial cellulose to timeless classic tones, it underscores the material's adaptability for diverse applications.
With biology related hurdles solved at scale, Polybion finally unveils its landmark material, marking a pivotal moment in the widespread adoption of Celium - Premium Cultivated Cellulose for consumer product applications, empowering more brands to adopt low carbon materials into their product categories.
Orders:
Gabriela Irastorza Dragonné
Phone +52 462 215 1847
orders@polybion.bio
Media Contacts:
Maria Paula Arroyo
Press Kit: press@polybion.bio