The Economist published an exciting article looking at the various ways material scientists are using natural plant fibers to enhance everyday materials.

During a review meeting at the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison, Wisconsin, the USDA Forest Service and the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities discussed a public-private partnership named P3Nano examined projects in which they had co-invested in 2016 in an effort to fund cellulose nanomaterials research ($4 million total, $2 million from FS, $2 million from the partner).

Swedish scientists at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology have created a bio-based material made of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) which they report to be stronger than all other man-made or natural bio-based materials, including spider silk and wood.

Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new composite material using wood pulp and dried pieces of an invasive exotic pest called tunicates.

Saltwater Brewery (a Florida craft microbrewery) along with a startup called E6PR, has developed a biodegradable six-pack ring which can be used in the packaging of their beverages