Walmart Inc is partnering with Rubi Laboratories to remove carbon dioxide from its supply chain and turn it into yarn for clothing. The American retail corporation will identify factories in its supply chain where carbon dioxide in waste gases can be captured using Rubi’s reactor systems.
Neeka Mashouf, co-founder and CEO of Rubi Labs, said their goal is to ensure a thriving future for restoring the earth’s ecological balance with re-imagined supply chains. “Walmart’s ability to mobilize positive impact across its supply chain of diverse US partners could be massively impactful in scaling our production and delivering on our commitments.”
Walmart said they are helping make the sustainable choice the affordable choice as they continue their journey to becoming a regenerative company. “And that means tackling complex problems and finding innovative solutions across the supply chain. We see great potential beyond apparel as these pilots could have implications across so many products and industries – packaging, building materials, food, and even the creation of new raw materials. The possibilities are staggering, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us as we work toward a more sustainable and equitable future.”
Andrea Albright, Walmart’s executive vice president of sourcing, said the goal is to find a greener way to manufacture apparel. “If we can pull CO2 out of the atmosphere and put it into a raw material in a way that doesn’t cause an abundance of electricity usage or other implications, that’s compelling to us.”
He shared that Rubi Laboratories’ process is like trees. “It captures and converts carbon emissions, spinning the resulting cellulose into something we all need – fabric. The final products are carbon-negative, resource-neutral textiles that can be used for clothing and other materials.”
It will test Rubi’s fibre performance in a prototype garment, to produce garment samples. Albright highlighted that if this proves successful, Walmart would introduce a larger apparel collection.
Also Read: Online Makeover: Walmart Revamps Website and App
