US biotech firm Kraig Biocraft Laboratories has established a new production centre for its recombinant spider silk in Vietnam. The new facility is located in Lam Dong Province, the heart of Vietnam’s silk economy, and will be the centre of the company’s planned spider silk production expansion in 2024.
It follows the company’s recently announced MOU with the Vietnam Sericulture Association (VSA) and Lam Dong Agro-Forestry Research and Experiment Center (LAREC).
Kraig Labs expects the new plant to serve as a centre for collaboration with VSA and LAREC, and serve as a distribution and collection hub for recombinant spider silk fibres, yarns and fabrics. As the facility is located in the centre of Vietnam’s largest silk-producing region, it provides access to fresh mulberry, skilled sericulture staffing and cocoon reeling facilities.
“We are prepared for 2024 to be a breakthrough year for the commercialisation of spider silk,” said CEO and founder, Kim Thompson.
“Our team is now preparing for the spring production trials and the launch of our new BAM 1 hybrid. We expect to have this new facility online to support these exciting milestones and the commercialisation of our cost-effective, eco-friendly spider silk.”
