Jeff Bezos makes a $34 million bet to replace cotton and polyester

Bezos Earth Fund has committed $34 million to researchers developing next-generation textiles. The work includes biodegradable fibers and plastic-free synthetic silk intended to replace resource-intensive materials used across the clothing industry. Many common fabrics such as polyester and viscose are derived from oil and coal, making them durable and widely used but environmentally costly. These materials are not biodegradable, can shed microplastics, and may release persistent chemicals into water systems. Researchers are experimenting with fibers grown from bacteria, agricultural waste, and other unconventional sources. The goal is to reshape clothing at the molecular level, though scaling sustainable textiles remains challenging.

"Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos have committed $34 million to researchers developing next-generation textiles, including biodegradable fibers and plastic-free synthetic silk. Their aim is to replace some of the most resource-intensive materials in the global clothing industry with alternatives that could dramatically reduce the industry's environmental footprint."

"Today's most common materials, including polyester and viscose, are derived from oil and coal. They're cheap, durable, and ubiquitous among both fast-fashion and luxury brands, but they also come with steep environmental costs. These fabrics are not biodegradable, shed microplastics, and can release so-called forever chemicals into water systems, raising growing health concerns, according to the European Environment Agency."

"Bezos's grant backs researchers who are experimenting with materials grown from bacteria, agricultural waste, and other unconventional sources, innovations that could reshape what clothing is made of at a molecular level. "When you start asking questions about what clothes could be made of, the answers are incredible," Sánchez Bezos said in a statement. "The future of fashion is being invented right now.""

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