TomTex is a company who produces 100% naturally biodegradable materials, created from ingredients found within seafood shells and mushrooms.

The company has been established for three years and has so far produced two products, the Series WS and the Series M. Both of these products are made from alternative materials, specifically the Series WS is made from shell seafood wate, the Series M is made from mushrooms. The common material in both of these products is chitosan, a biopolymer which can be found in seafood shells and mushrooms. In order to create their biodegradable materials from these components, TomTex combines the chitosan with other green ingredients and mixes them together through a 100% sustainable chemical process.

TomTex was created by its founder, Uyen Tran, who was born and raised in Danang, and after seeing the reality of textile pollution in Vietnam, a large textile hub, plus the rate at which textiles are discarded, Tran created TomTex. In Vietnam, approximately one million tons of aquaculture waste is discarded annually, therefore, Tran set up TomTex with the aim of minimising both textile and food waste. Tran quickly found that a solution to both issues is using chitosan for manufacturing new and more sustainable materials.

So far, TomTex’s products have seen great progress and success, as the company uses raw materials instead of growing new materials within a lab. The use of food waste is the reason why the company is yet to run into any issues with reaching a commercial scale in the alternative leather market. Instead of finding it difficult, the company recently achieved its first roll-to-roll material production milestone, when it created 100 linear feet in the initial run. TomTex also has plans around a larger milestone, which they hope will be accomplished within the coming weeks.

Along with their success in their material creation, TomTex has also seen a huge amount of success from their recent fundraising campaign. When the $2.25 million seed round closed, the company had raised $4.15 million. The party members involved in this campaign included Tran, global venture capital firm Happiness Capital led the round. SOSV, Parley for the Oceans, Earth Ventures and MIH Capital, both climate-tech venture firms, were also involved.

Tran commented, “I am excited about our recent fundraising success, which will fuel TômTex’s team growth, key hires and expanded manufacturing. Beyond scaling, it’s a strategic step to secure new contracts and revenue, strengthening our market position. I’m grateful to our dedicated team and investors who believe in the power of scalable and sustainable TômTex’s biomaterial technology platform. Together, we’re forging a path toward a more sustainable, innovative future.”

The general partner at Happiness Central, Eric Ng, added, “We are thrilled to be part of TômTex’s journey. Their biomaterial technology is a game-changer, not just for its viability in the market but also for its sustainability. Investing in TômTex means investing in a scalable platform that has the potential to revolutionize industries while making a positive impact on our planet.”

The general partner at Earth Venture Capital, Tien Nguyen, mentioned, “As you read this, you likely have at least four synthetic leather items, which are, in fact, plastic. These items will persist in our environment for centuries. We are incredibly proud to support TômTex to address this problem. As a major player in the global shrimp industry, Vietnam witnesses the massive waste of shrimp shells, aligning perfectly with TômTex’s philosophy: ‘Waste is the new luxury.’ Now is the time for TômTex to scale. We are committed to this critical stage of the company, driven by a strong belief in the future of sustainable fashion.”