About
Fashion, design and art
InCrops reports
Plant Dyes
This 11-page report describes various types of plant dyes, dye extraction, dyeing techniques, benefits and disadvantages of plant dyes.
Sustainable Luxury
Flyer for the Sustainable Luxury event describing this project in more detail.
The book describes the process and the results of the Art and Innovation project, jointly run by SCVA and InCrops. The project evolved from the initial recognition that university departments need to explore a cross-disciplinary links between art, science, and innovation. The project surprised its originators and participants with the outcomes and the findings, that were quite startling and were different in terms of the general approach. This project was an evolution rather than a development, and, although unforeseen, ended up exceeding expectations. The strengths of the project included seeing businesses, scientists and artists working together and the energy of the people that were involved and the way they interacted.
The link above is an excerpt of the full book, which can be purchased from Adapt Commercial
Woad
A 4-page report describing the synthesis and use of indigo and other pigments by the woad plant (Isatis tinctoria). The report also includes a brief consideration of other small molecules from woad, including discussion their biological activities and studies indicating activities that may be useful in treating certain human diseases.
Externally produced reports
Bio Design: Nature, Science, Creativity
This book features fabrics grown from food waste, self-healing concrete, leaves that glow in the dark, and DNA that stores data, and explores a future that is closer than we think.
Sustainable agriculture
InCrops reports
Rising Energy Costs in the Glasshouse: Exploring Solutions
A 30-page report exploring glasshouse cultivation and energy use. Includes historical perspective, current techniques in soilless agriculture, energy usage patterns, market review and consideration of energy saving measures, including emerging technologies.
Externally produced reports
Coming soon
Food, health and wellbeing
InCrops reports
Sea Buckthorn and Other Functional Foods
A 30-page report introducing bioactive compounds from plants, including vitamins, flavonoids, carotenoids and fatty acids. Introduction to different sea buckthorn species and subspecies, discussion of products that can be obtained from sea buckthorn, review of information on the composition of sea buckthorn products and a collation of information from scientific literature reporting research into potential health benefits and disease treatments using sea buckthorn.
Functional Foods
A 45-page report introducing bioactive compounds from plants, including vitamins, flavonoids, carotenoids and fatty acids. Introduction to selected foods with known or health-promoting functionality. Includes sections on sea buckthorn, strawberry, apple, beetroot and hemp.
Information Pack for Sea Buckthorn Growers
A short, 3-page information pack with general advice on land preparation, planting, fertilisation and harvesting.
Berries Scoping Report
A 63-page report that covers 17 berry species in detail. This includes: uses of each berry, origin and history of each berry species, agronomy of each species (including variety availability, propagation, growing methods, pests and diseases, pollination requirements, harvesting, yields), and UK opportunity for each species.
Externally produced reports
World Health Organisation (2003) Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of the joint WHO/FAO expert consultation. WHO Technical Report Series, No. 916 (TRS 916).
Bio-based materials
InCrops reports
Bioplastics: terminology, certification and end of life options
This report describes what types of biopolymers exists, what certification is relevant for biopolymers and different scenarios for their end of life.
Bio-based alternatives for speciality plastics
This report describes various types and grades of biopolymers that could substitute speciality plastics, such as plastics used in catering and disposables, engineered plastics, and other”
Bio-based materials for the built environment
This report describes types of biobased materials use in the built environment, their performance, indication on costs and sourcing.
Sustainable catering using biobased materials
This report describes types of biobased materials used in catering, terminology and standards relevant to biobased and compostable materials. It also gives information on pricing, sourcing, and environmental credentials of suppliers. The report discusses various routes for materials recycling and gives advice on making claims about environmentally beneficial products.
Bioplastics and Natural Fibre Composites
A 20-page technical report introducing different types of bioplastics, natural fibres and natural fibre composites. Includes consideration of feedstocks, polymer synthesis, material properties, uses of bioplastics and natural fibre composites, and analysis of market trends and drivers.
Timber supply chain report
Externally produced reports
Product overview and market projection of emerging bio-based plastics
This report discusses the important contribution bio-based plastics could play in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Published 2009.
Bioplastics: facts and figures
This presentation gives a comprehensive overview of the global bioplastics sector. Published 2013.