2025.8.8 Pelliqua® Achieves 100% Biobased Certification under the USDA BioPreferred® Program
Our proprietary material, Pelliqua®, has been officially certified as 100% biobased through third-party verification under the USDA BioPreferred® Program, administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The USDA Certified Biobased Product label indicates the percentage of biobased content—derived from plants, marine, or forestry sources and not from petroleum—verified in a product, providing consumers with a clear standard for making environmentally conscious purchasing decisions.
Pelliqua® is designed to replace conventional petroleum-based materials, offering a sustainable alternative that balances environmental responsibility with high-quality performance for the fashion and lifestyle industries.
The USDA Certified Biobased Product label is a certification mark of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For more information, visit www.biopreferred.gov.
2025.8.7 Selected as the Top Presenter at the 15th TIB PITCH (SHOP Course)
We are pleased to announce that SustainaGene Inc. took part in the 15th TIB PITCH (SHOP Course) hosted by Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB) on August 7, 2025, and was honored to be selected as the top presenter.
As a result, we will be opening a store at TIB SHOP (Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) starting in October.
We sincerely thank everyone who attended the event and all those who have been supporting us.
At TIB SHOP, visitors will be able to see and touch BHOPE items in person, as well as learn about the brand’s background and our material “Pelliqua.”
We will share more details about the store opening schedule and related events as soon as they are finalized.
▼For more information about the 15th TIB PITCH (SHOP Course), click here:
https://tib.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/posts/LEyjUyqH
2025.8.6 BHOPE item featured in Nikkei MJ
The Editor’s Clutch, one of BHOPE’s items, was featured in the August 6 issue of Nikkei MJ.
2025.6.25 Pelliqua® Certification Application Submitted to the PETA-Approved Vegan Program
We are pleased to announce that we have submitted our application for PETA-Approved Vegan certification for Pelliqua®, our plant-based cellulose material developed as a sustainable alternative to leather.
The PETA-Approved Vegan label is a globally recognized certification issued by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), indicating that a product contains no animal-derived ingredients and is free from animal testing.
By obtaining this certification, we aim to provide ethical and trustworthy products for consumers who value vegan and cruelty-free choices.
We will proceed through the review and verification process in the coming weeks and work toward official certification.
▶︎ Learn more about the PETA-Approved Vegan certification:
https://petaapprovedvegan.peta.org
2025.6.24 Pelliqua® Certification Application Submitted to USDA BioPreferred® Program
We are pleased to announce that we have completed the certification application for our plant-derived material Pelliqua® under the USDA BioPreferred® Program.
The BioPreferred® Program, managed by the United States Department of Agriculture, is a globally recognized certification system for products made from renewable biological resources. Products certified under this program are often selected by governments and organizations worldwide as part of sustainable procurement and green purchasing initiatives.
Pelliqua® is composed of 100% plant-based microbial cellulose and is designed as a sustainable alternative to traditional leather materials. Following biobased content testing under ASTM D6866, we aim to complete the full certification process in the coming months.
2022.12.2 SustainaGene Inc. Selected as a Finalist in the 5th Round of the "01Start" Business Plan Contest
SustainaGene Inc. has been selected as a finalist in the 5th round of the "01Start" business plan contest, organized by 01Booster Inc., for its innovative business plan featuring Pelliqua—a non-petroleum-based, biodegradable bacterial leather produced by microorganisms.
