Every year, more than 150 million trees are cut down and turned into fabric for the apparel industry. Even though consumer trends show shifts and increasing awareness toward making more environmentally-conscious clothing purchases, the demand and reliance on land and water resources to create clothing for everyone on the planet is still far from sustainable.

Fostered by the Bren School’s mission to develop interdisciplinary solutions, The Hurd Co. started as an Eco-Entrepreneurship project to create a sustainable product for fabric production made from plant waste instead of logging forests. Taylor Heisley-Cook, David Mun, and Celine Mol weaved together their passions for sustainable apparel to propose their initial product “biscose,” an apparel-grade pulp made from cannabis plant waste that is typically burned or sent to landfills. Characteristic of all innovation journeys, The Hurd Co’s business model evolved from biscose into their patented zero-waste production of “agriloseTM,” a man-made cellulosic (MMC) feedstock pulp made of 100% agricultural waste. MMCs are plant-based and traditionally made from wood pulp, but The Hurd Co.’s closed-loop process uses 50% less water and 90% less energy than conventional MMC fibers with expanded application to various crop wastes. AgriloseTM addresses the problem of diminishing natural resources and increasing industry waste as sustainable fashion continues on an upward trend.

The Hurd Co. is recognized for their innovation in climate change mitigation, with Taylor and David in attendance as a finalist at the 2024 South by Southwest (SXSW) Innovation Awards and a featured “Trailblazer Company” at the 2024 Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen. Adding to their growing list of impressive accomplishments, The Hurd Co. is a commercial partner with the Department of Energy, which has granted $1.45 million to bolster the company’s research efforts in support of the United States’ decarbonization efforts. As The Hurd Co. continues to make remarkable strides, it remains a shining example of the Bren School’s commitment to supporting future environmental leaders with the knowledge and skills for advancing real-world solutions and driving positive change.

“Our work at Bren laid the foundation for our company, and five years in, we regularly talk about our “origin story” at Bren with pride. We are so grateful for the support from the Eco-E Program that made it possible for us to launch The Hurd Co after school.”

Taylor Heisley-Cook (MESM 2019), CEO, The Hurd Co.

Want to get involved? Reach out to the Bren School for more information about supporting our mission to solve global environmental problems.

 

Lotus Vermeer

Assistant Dean of Partnerships & Development
(805) 893-3712
lvermeer@bren.ucsb.edu

Beth Pitton-August

Director of Development
(805) 893-5047
beth@bren.ucsb.edu