Biotech venture Spiber Inc. and sports apparel-maker Goldwin Inc. on Thursday announced the December launch of what they claim is the world's first outerwear jacket made with protein material produced via microbial fermentation.
The Moon Parka jacket will go on sale in a limited volume under The North Face brand at one of its shops in Tokyo for ¥150,000 ($1,400), with the pale gold-colored nylon-like material being used for its surface layer.
Having initiated its research to create synthetic spider silk for its unusual mix of strength and elasticity over a decade ago, Spiber says it is now capable of producing genetically modified proteins through microbial fermentation, a manufacturing process that does not rely on petroleum, a finite resource.