BYSCO

The origins of a new sector of 100% recyclable materials

Do you know the byssus? It is the bundle of filaments that allows certain bivalve mollusks, such as mussels, to attach themselves to their substrate. BYSCO aims to take advantage of the natural mechanical properties of this kind of sea lichen to create a fibrous raw material with unique technical and environmental performances. Robin Maquet, skipper-engineer and co-founder, with Florence Baron, of this nature-based company, created in 2021, first imagines using this 100% natural fiber to replace fiberglass or polyester in the manufacture of boat hulls. One thing led to another and the idea caught on. Today, BYSCO develops recyclable, lightweight and fireproof textile solutions for thermal insulation, acoustic comfort, fire protection, surface resilience, and lightweighting systems.

Based in Nantes, BYSCO deploys its first production unit to wash the byssus and isolate it from the sand and algae that are stuck to it, in Cancale, pivotal between Normandy, Brittany and the Pays de la Loire, in the heart of the mussel farming regions. This raw material is then transformed and packaged, in flexible rolls BYSCOFLEX or in semi-rigid panels BYSCOPLAK, in the North of France. Already awarded several prizes, the team of this young start-up, pioneer of an atypical sector with values in the circular economy, is planning the construction of a factory in Nantes. This new tool will enable them to increase their production to 50 tons within two years. This will give a great boost to this natural alternative to carbon-based materials for many sectors such as construction, fashion and sports.