Renoa Wins FTC Approval as First New Fiber Classification in 25 Years
FTC-approved renoa turns protein waste into a washable cashmere alternative, with Everbloom targeting its first blended consumer product for a Q2 2027 debut.
Summary
Cashmere spans Bruno Cucinelli’s $7,900 cable knit cardigan, Quince’s $50 crewneck and even running shirts; at Loro Piana, it helped lift the LVMH division’s valuation above €11 billion. Yet it remains costly, difficult to maintain and environmentally fraught, with cashmere goats damaging Central Asian rangelands. Everbloom’s renoa, approved by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission as the first new fiber classification in 25 years, promises a washable, more affordable substitute.
Everbloom grinds waste protein from cashmere and wool scraps, plus down and feather lint from bedding, mixes the powder with a biodegradable biopolymer, then extrudes fibers at selected lengths and diameters. After three years developing its own materials science AI model, the startup is scaling production and working with unnamed companies. At its New York headquarters, 15 floors above 5th Avenue near Bryant Park, cofounder and CEO Sim Gulati showed a soft, light crewneck sweater and gloves, plus a scarf that had not pilled or, he said, shrunk after months of wear, washing and tumble drying. An 80% cashmere, 20% renoa blend felt nearly identical to cashmere; Gulati says commercial finishing should remove remaining differences without reducing washability or stability. Initial products will likely contain about 20% renoa, with the first expected in Q2 2027.
Positives
- FTC approval makes renoa the first new U.S. fiber classification in 25 years.
- Cashmere, wool, down and feather waste become feedstock for a biodegradable biopolymer fiber.
- A test scarf showed no pilling or reported shrinkage after months of washing and tumble drying.
- An 80% cashmere, 20% renoa blend felt extremely close to pure cashmere.
- Q2 2027 is the target for renoa’s first consumer product launch.
Risks & concerns
- Cashmere goats continue damaging rangelands across Central Asia as demand spreads into more products.
- Everbloom has not disclosed renoa’s price, leaving its promised affordability unquantified.
- Everbloom has not named its commercial partners or detailed production capacity during the scale-up.
- Initial products will likely contain only about 20% renoa rather than fully replacing cashmere.
- Shrink resistance is based on Sim Gulati’s account, while commercial garment performance remains unproven.