ALT TEX

Biodegradable and carbon neutral textiles, engineered from food waste.

Y CombinatorSummer 2022ActiveIndustrialsClimateCarbon Capture and RemovalBioplasticBiotechClimate

What they do

Problem

Fashion brands rely on polyester, a major sustainability blocker and environmental pollutant, and lack a scalable, cost-competitive sustainable alternative.

Solution

ALT TEX uses a patent-pending fermentation process to convert food waste into a biodegradable, carbon-neutral polyester-like fabric compatible with existing textile infrastructure.

Who it's for

Fashion brands and apparel manufacturers seeking sustainable, high-performance polyester replacements at scale.

Founders

Myra Arshad

Founder

Hey, I'm Myra - Co-founder and CEO of ALT TEX. Coming from a family background in textile manufacturing, I'm disrupting the $2.5 trillion fashion industry with better and more sustainable materials. Prior to ALT TEX, I held corporate roles in sales and marketing at Fortune 500 companies, before founding fluidic – a direct to consumer lifestyle brand. Prior to fluidic, I built FarmBox, a Hult Prize backed, AI micro-farming technology that enabled food sustainability in refugee camps.

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Avneet Ghotra

Founder

Hi, I'm Avneet - Co-founder and CTO of ALT TEX. I left medical school to build ALT TEX. With education and research background in biochemistry & environmental science, I lead the R&D behind ALT TEX’s food waste to fabric mission. Prior to medical school & ALT TEX, I founded Approaching Zero, a non-profit dedicated to reducing plastic pollution through production of reusable cotton produce bags. Continuing that vision, I am now building a global solution for fashion's polyester pollution.