Milliken & Company, based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, has announced an investment in Tidal Vision, a biomolecular technology company specializing in chitosan-based innovations. Tidal Vision, headquartered in Bellingham, Washington, focuses on developing products utilizing chitosan, a biodegradable compound, for critical industries.

This partnership aims to enhance the availability of sustainable materials. Milliken's investment will support Tidal Vision’s proprietary technologies, which transform chitosan into high-performance chemistries with biodegradable properties for various applications. Chitosan, derived from chitin, is a naturally occurring biopolymer found in insects, crustaceans, and fungi. Its unique positive electrostatic charge gives it a strong ability to bind with ions, metals, and microorganisms, making it valuable in over 400 applications that traditionally rely on harmful chemicals.

Tidal Vision has also partnered with Leigh Fibers, North America’s largest textile fiber processing and upcycling company, to create eco-friendly solutions that provide flame retardant and antimicrobial properties. These scalable Tidal-Tec solutions have already displaced millions of pounds of synthetic chemicals in textiles.

“At Milliken, we invest with a long-term perspective, focusing on partnerships that foster growth and align with our values,” said Halsey Cook, Milliken's president and CEO.

Craig Kasberg, CEO of Tidal Vision, shared similar sentiments: “By combining our expertise, we aim to expand the use of chitosan-based chemistries globally, replacing non-biodegradable alternatives and making a meaningful environmental impact.”