#Sustainability

2025-01-09

NFW announces successful funding round under new CEO

NFW, a global leader in plastic-free biomaterials, today announced a series of strategic initiatives designed to ensure long-term sustainability and drive renewed growth. These initiatives include the appointment of co-founder Steve Zika as Chief Executive Officer and the successful closing of a funding round backed by existing shareholders.

Steve Zika to lead the next evolution of plastic-free biomaterials innovation

The leadership transition occurred in October, with NFW founder Luke Haverhals stepping down and co-founder Steve Zika assuming the role of CEO. Zika has been instrumental in NFW’s growth since its founding in 2016, serving as a key architect of the company’s pioneering work in sustainable biomaterials. Over the years, he has led critical areas including new product development, business strategy, and manufacturing operations, positioning NFW as a trailblazer in biomaterials innovation.

NFW also announced the successful closing of a funding round that saw broad participation from its existing investor base, demonstrating strong confidence in the company’s mission and market potential. This funding will help stabilize operations and lay the groundwork for future innovation and growth, even amidst a challenging macroeconomic environment.

A renewed business focus: Intermediates chemistry driving global impact

NFW will center its business on its proprietary intermediates technology—novel chemistries that power all of its materials, including the flagship MIRUM® product. MIRUM® is a revolutionary, plastic-free alternative to both conventional and synthetic leather, meeting the rigorous performance standards of even the automotive industry. Today, MIRUM® features in more than 80 commercial products from over 50 global brands.

NFW plans to deepen its relationships with strategic brand partners while continuing to drive innovation in the biomaterials space.

“NFW is uniquely positioned as the only company offering a capex-light scaling model capable of replacing petroleum-derived plasticizers and additives with sustainable materials,” said Zika. “Our solutions are not only good for the planet but also meet the high-performance demands of industries like fashion, footwear, and automotive.”

Recognition for global leadership

This September, NFW was named a finalist for the prestigious 2024 Earthshot Prize. Selected from a pool of nearly 2,500 nominees across 139 countries, this recognition highlights NFW’s leadership in sustainable innovation. The Earthshot Prize connects innovators with global leaders to catalyze investment, expand markets, and unlock transformative opportunities.

About CEO Steve Zika

Steve Zika holds a B.S. and M.S. in Material Science and Engineering from Stanford University. He spent 16 years at Advanced Micro Devices, serving as Director of Product Management and Chief of Staff to the President. A Peoria native, Zika returned home with his family after stints in Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, and has since become a champion of Illinois’ startup ecosystem and co-founder of a mission-driven investment firm.

Provest Equity Partners and CTW Venture Partners announce strategic joint investment in Natural Fiber Welding Inc.

Natural Fiber Welding Inc. (“NFW”), a pioneer in high-performance, plant-based materials, today announced a strategic investment from Provest Equity Partners, made jointly with CTW Venture Partners (“CTW”). The investment supports NFW’s next phase as the company accelerates commercialization and global scale of its breakthrough climate-tech, low-carbon materials platform.

Hohenstein publishes 2025 Sustainability Report

The testing and research service provider Hohenstein has published its latest sustainability report, outlining key progress and strategic initiatives. The report focuses on ambitious CO₂ reduction targets, the company’s new mission statement and the systematic expansion of sustainable services for customers worldwide.

Global Standard gGmbH launches second public consultation for GRTS Draft 2 for the textile industry (1–30 April 2026)

Global Standard gGmbH is pleased to announce the release of Draft 2 of the Global Responsible Textile Standard (GRTS) for its second public consultation. The consultation will be open from 1 April 2026 to 30 April 2026, inviting stakeholders across the textile and apparel value chain to provide input and contribute to the further development of this new Standard.

Textile Exchange publishes cotton Life Cycle Assessment study to strengthen impact data

Textile Exchange has published the first in a series of seven Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies designed to improve the quality and robustness of environmental impact data for raw material production across the fashion, textile, and apparel industry. The first LCA study focuses on cotton and addresses critical data gaps and methodology variability through new high-quality data across key producing countries. The study includes organic, regenerative, recycled, and country averages for conventional cotton production systems, providing a clearer picture of the associated environmental impact.

Speed and connectivity: Techtextil and Texprocess provided market-ready solutions for industries under pressure

With more than 36,000 visitors and 1,700 exhibitors from a total of 112 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 demonstrated how innovation comes into industrial use. The convergence of research, industry and application proved to be a breeding ground for new material solutions, manufacturing and processing technologies. Natural fibres, performance apparel, connected systems and AI-driven processing technologies emerged as key growth and future markets.

Italian Textile Machinery heads to Geneva for Index 2026

An important delegation of Italian companies will exhibit at the upcoming INDEX 2026, the world’s leading event for the nonwovens sector, taking place from May 19 to 22 in Geneva (Switzerland). Numerous Italian exhibitors will be present within the Italy Pavilion, organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and ACIMIT, an exhibition area of over 140 square meters dedicated to the latest innovations proposed by the Italian industry.