Brussels, 26 Jun 2006
Fashion and consumer products made with the help of biotechnology put on display at World Congress
Washington, DC (June , 2006)
Industrial biotechnology is enabling a whole new wave of cleaner and greener consumer products. Everything from designer dresses to pillows, bedding, and blankets to plastic drink bottles and containers are being manufactured from agriculture-based biopolymers. A variety of biobased products will be on display in two venues at the third annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, to be held July 11-14, 2006 at the Toronto Westin Harbour Castle Hotel.
Congress attendees and reporters are invited to attend a Fashion Show, featuring biobased clothing and fabrics made with industrial biotechnology. The fashion show will feature dresses from top designers Halston, Oscar de la Renta, Stephen Burrows, Heatherette, and Elisa Jimenez, all made with Ingeo™ fabric. Ingeo™ is spun from polylactic acid (PLA), a compostable biopolymer made from dextrose corn sugar. The show will also feature ready-to-wear fashions from Linda Loudermilk, Teija Eloila, Kei Kagami, Nadia Fassi, Bagutta and many others, also made from Ingeo™ fibers.
The fashion show will take place during the plenary lunch, Thursday, July 13 at 12:00 p.m. Leslie Hoffmann, executive director of Earth Pledge, a nonprofit organization that identifies and promotes innovative technologies for sustainable living, will host the show, discussing Earth Pledge's Future Fashion initiative and the growth of the biobased products industry.
Attendees and reporters should also plan to visit the Biobased Product Showcase, displayed during the Opening Reception, Tuesday, July 11 at 7:00 p.m. The showcase will feature the Green Kitchen -- a kitchen built with materials from bioproducts -- biodegradable plastic bags, clothing and other consumer items, an ethanol-powered car, and many other everyday items now being made from agricultural materials. Products made from PLA and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) - renewable biopolymers produced through biotech processes - include bedding products, baby products, packaging materials, and even car parts.
Advance media registration for the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing is now available online until June 30. Registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media. To register and or to view the program, please visit http://www.bio.org/worldcongress/. Only reporters and editors working full-time for print or broadcast news organizations may register onsite with valid media credentials. All freelancers and online publications must register in advance by Friday, June 30, 2006. The Congress is hosted jointly by EuropaBio - the EU association for bioindustries, the US Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), BIOTECanada, The American Chemical Society, the National Agriculture Biotechnology Council, the Agri-Food Innovation Forum, and the Chemical Institute of Canada.
For further information, contact:
Adeline Farrelly Tel: +32 2 735 0313 Direct: +32 2 739 1174 Mobile: +32 475 93 17 24
Email: a.farrelly@europabio.org
Alina Cornea - Tel: 32 2 739 11 81 Mobile:+32 473 660 558
Email: a.cornea@europabio.org