Everbloom Innovates AI Technology to Convert Chicken Feathers into Sustainable Cashmere-Like Fibers
In a groundbreaking development, Everbloom has unveiled its innovative AI technology designed to transform chicken feathers into a high-quality material resembling cashmere. As affordable cashmere sweaters flood the market, often at reduced costs, the demand for sustainable fashion alternatives has surged, prompting Everbloom’s creative approach to textile production.
Traditionally, cashmere is derived from the undercoat of select goat breeds, yielding only a limited supply—approximately four to six ounces (113 to 170 grams) per goat annually—with a growing demand that far exceeds availability. Instead of altering supply chains or urging consumers to prioritize high-quality cashmere, Everbloom, backed by over $8 million in funding from investors such as Hoxton Ventures and SOSV, has focused on upcycling waste materials into eco-friendly fibers.
Everbloom’s processes revolve around Braid.AI, an advanced material science AI capable of adjusting essential parameters to produce fibers with varying characteristics, including cashmere-like textures. The company’s current operations utilize waste from the fiber supply chain, sourcing from cashmere and wool farms along with down bedding suppliers. Everbloom aims to expand its inputs to include poultry industry byproducts, tapping into keratin as a common protein found in these materials.
Utilizing a meticulous method, the waste material is processed and combined with proprietary compounds before being shaped through a plastic extrusion machine. The resultant pellets are spun using machines typically employed for polyester production, enabling Everbloom to cater to 80% of the textile market. “You have to be a drop-in replacement,” explains CEO Gulati.
Everbloom’s production process is engineered so that all necessary chemical transformations occur within these two machines, allowing for the creation of biodegradable fibers that closely mimic traditional materials. The startup claims that every product produced is environmentally friendly, with ongoing accelerated testing to substantiate these benefits.
In addition to environmental advantages, Everbloom is committed to making its sustainable solutions economically viable. “I don’t believe in a ‘sustainable premium,’” states Gulati, emphasizing that the success of eco-friendly materials hinges on their accessibility and value for brands and consumers alike. “For a material to thrive in the market, it must provide both an ecological benefit and economic advantages at every level of the supply chain.”
