Seastex, a Scotland-based startup, has relocated its headquarters to Glasgow, Scotland, to get better access to the shellfish byproducts it uses to make “Seawool.”
Seastex uses mussel beards, or byssus – the threads mussels use to attach to surfaces – to create a textile product it has dubbed Seawool that can be used for acoustic insulation, upholstery, or other purposes. The company said its new base in Glasgow is the first step in expanding its production, with an ultimate goal of going from a team of two to a team of 40 within five years.
Currently, Seastex is working with Scottish co-ops to secure 3 metric tons (MT) of raw material each week to produce its Seawool.
“The idea for Seastex came to me after watching a documentary on mussel farming, where I noticed de-byssing machines cutting off the beards during the cleaning process before the mussels were bagged and sent to stores,” Seastex CEO and Founder Sander Nevejans said. “Until that point, byssus has never been used as a textile material.”
According to Seastex, its Seawool material is recyclable, lightweight, naturally fire retardant, and free of chemicals. It also uses a material that was previously thrown out, it said.
“The plan is to significantly expand the range of applications for our seawool over the next decade, but at the moment, we are particularly interested in acoustic applications for buildings,” Nevejans said.
According to Nevejans, the idea for the material is in part inspired by an ancient innovation called “Sea Silk” made from similar materials, which was woven into garments for nobility in the Mediterranean over 2,000 years ago.
That material was made of the now critically endangered noble pen shell, and the Sea Silk industry has all but disappeared.
“The ambiton is to collaborate with shellfish producers to reimagine this material for the 21st century, reviving and preserving a part of this ancient craft,” Nevejans said. “Moving to Glasgow is a critical step in our growth plan and brings us closer to the essential supply chain that can ensure access to even more mussel beards to turn into new products.”
