The FoundersBefore Activated Silk™ technology, there was Gregory Altman and Rebecca “Beck” Lacouture. Greg and Beck graduated with PhDs in biotechnology engineering and biomedical engineering, respectively—and have been partners in silk chemistry since their days as students.
It wasn’t until Beck’s ovarian cancer diagnosis in her 20s that the duo realized reinventing silk in liquid form could replace harmful ingredients in skincare products and create a platform for entirely unique and biocompatible benefits across nearly any industry.
They founded Evolved By Nature™ (previously Silk Inc.) in Boston, Mass., in 2013. The company holds patents covering a wide variety of silk molecular compositions and continues to discover, develop and commercialize new applications for natural silk, supported by a growing team of scientists, engineers and other experts who are passionate about putting an end to hidden, harmful chemicals.
The ScientistsThe Evolved By Nature scientists come from all corners of the globe and reaches of the scientific world, bringing expertise from a wide spectrum of industries: biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, personal care production and beyond. But as diverse as our scientists are, there’s one thing they raise a collective fist about: creating bioharmonious solutions that work as well—or better—than petrochemicals. Motivated by EBN’s mission to reduce human exposure to harmful chemistry, some left traditional chemical companies behind for a cleaner, more planet-friendly path. As one EBN chemist puts it: “It’s great to prove you don’t have to sacrifice performance to make the world a healthier place.”
The ResearchersOne used to develop textiles for space travel. Another admits she’s “obsessed” with skincare. And another’s mission is to find us the best silk cocoons the world has to offer. EBN’s researchers are as unique as they are focused. They’re as dedicated to finding sustainability-focused silk farms as they are to creating the next generation of eco-friendly products. And being at Evolved By Nature allows them to align their values with their love of high-performance products that are better for people and the planet.
The FarmersTo create bioharmonious Activated Silk, EBN partners with small sericulture farms who are as serious about sustainability as we are. With current and future partners in Japan, South America and Africa, EBN has a global collective for sourcing the most high-quality and naturally produced silk cocoons. They’re always looking for like-minded sericulture farms and cooperatives around the world.