Everbloom created an AI to produce cashmere from chicken feathers.

Everbloom Develops Sustainable Cashmere Alternative Using AI and Textile Waste

As cashmere sweaters flood the market at increasingly low prices, concerns are growing about the sustainability and quality of the luxury fiber. Traditional cashmere is sourced from the fine undercoat of select goat breeds, with each goat producing only four to six ounces annually. To meet rising demand, producers are shearing goats more frequently, degrading fiber quality and placing significant strain on animals and ecosystems.

Everbloom, a materials science startup co-founded by CEO Sim Gulati, believes it has a solution. Rather than reforming herding practices or pushing consumers toward higher-priced products, the company is developing a sustainable alternative that closely mimics cashmere’s softness, warmth, and lightness.

Backed by more than $8 million in funding from investors including Hoxton Ventures and SOSV, Everbloom has created an AI-powered material science platform called Braid.AI. The system fine-tunes fiber formulations to replicate a wide range of textiles, including cashmere and polyester.

Everbloom’s process relies on upcycling waste from across the fiber supply chain, such as discarded cashmere and wool from farms and mills, as well as down from bedding manufacturers. These materials all contain keratin, a key protein used in the company’s proprietary process. The waste is processed, combined with biodegradable compounds, and extruded into pellets that are spun using standard polyester manufacturing equipment.

“Our goal is to be a drop-in replacement,” Gulati said, noting that the same machinery used for 80% of global textile production can manufacture Everbloom’s fibers.

The company claims its materials are fully biodegradable, including its polyester alternatives, and is currently conducting accelerated testing to validate performance and durability. By using waste inputs, Everbloom says its environmental footprint is significantly lower than conventional textiles.

Beyond sustainability, the startup aims to make eco-friendly materials economically competitive. “I don’t believe in a ‘sustainable premium,’” Gulati said. “For a material to succeed, it must offer both product and economic benefits across the entire supply chain.”

If successful, Everbloom’s technology could help reshape the textile industry by reducing dependence on animal-based fibers and cutting down on waste—without sacrificing quality or affordability.