Everbloom’s renoa is the first new fiber class approved in 25 years

An alternative fiber called renoa, developed by startup Everbloom, is washable and promises to be more affordable than cashmere. TechCrunch reports that it was recently approved by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission as the first new fiber classification in 25 years. The FTC regulates fiber labeling in the U.S.

Renoa is made from sources of waste protein, including cashmere and wool scraps as well as down and feather “lint” leftover from the bedding industry. Everbloom processes the waste into a powder and blends it with a biodegradable biopolymer, and the combination is then extruded to the right length and diameter to mimic specific natural fibers.

Everbloom has been developing the new fiber for three years and is currently in the process of scaling up. The startup developed its own AI model for material science, and a cashmere substitute is the first product.

At Everbloom’s headquarters in New York City, co-founder and CEO Sim Gulati showed off products made with renoa, including a crewneck sweater, a pair of knit gloves and a scarf. The sweater and gloves were soft and light, but the scarf was the most notable. It was a custom item Everbloom had knit to test renoa, and Gulati had been wearing and washing it for months, including a trip through the tumble dryer before the visit. It wasn’t pilled, and Gulati said it hadn’t shrunk, either.

Everbloom is currently working with a range of companies to get renoa into consumer products. The first are likely to feature renoa as a blended fiber, making up around 20% of the material in a cashmere sweater, for example. Gulati said the first product is expected to hit the market in the second quarter of 2027.