Organic waste accounts for around 50% of municipal waste in Spain. Current treatment methods, such as composting or biogas production, do not generate products with sufficient economic value to offset management costs. In response to this environmental and economic challenge, Vegancelio has emerged—a project led by Aimplas, the plastics technology centre—which proposes a solution aligned with the circular economy and the bioeconomy.
The project, funded by the Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i) with ERDF funds, aims to develop advanced technologies to recover value from organic waste by converting it into two key products: vegan leather made from fungal mycelium, intended for the textile sector, and chitosan microcapsules with cosmetic applications, capable of encapsulating active ingredients with antioxidant effects and controlled release.
Vegancelio is structured around a comprehensive technological approach that includes the production of fungal mycelium from organic waste, the sustainable extraction of chitosan from fungal biomass using chemical and enzymatic methods, the manufacture of vegan leather by optimising plasticisers and processes such as extrusion, and the development of chitosan and hybrid microcapsules for dermocosmetic applications. Furthermore, the project envisages knowledge transfer to the plastics, textile and cosmetics sectors in the Valencian Community, with the potential to replicate the model in other industries and for other types of waste with a similar composition.
The project involves collaboration with Tejidos Royo S.L., which specialises in the manufacture of textile materials, and Dermopartner S.L., an expert in the formulation of dermocosmetic products. Both companies provide valuable industrial and market insights, actively participating in the definition of technical parameters, specialist advice and the validation of the materials developed. Their involvement ensures the practical and commercial viability of the processes, strengthening the potential for the real-world application of the project’s results.
“The products developed in Vegancelio respond to a real market demand, which allows the applied technologies to be made profitable. The project represents an opportunity for companies implementing these results to position themselves as leaders in sustainability and innovation,” explains Pablo Ferrero, lead researcher in biotechnology at AIMPLAS.
Vegancelio’s comprehensive approach not only contributes to the reduction of organic waste and greenhouse gas emissions but also promotes the production of materials free from harmful substances, fostering sustainable, profitable and scalable processes. The project reduces reliance on imported raw materials and positions the Valencian Community as a leader in sustainable innovation.
Vegancelio joins other initiatives led by Aimplas that promote waste recovery and the development of sustainable materials, consolidating its role as a driver of innovation
