Congratulations to The Hurd Co. on taking the “Golden California” Favorite Startup Award at Born in California. Born in California demo days hosted at UC Irvine feature the University of California’s best and most investment-worthy startups seeking Seed and Series A investors. The Hurd Co. makes agrilose®, a 100% agriwaste-based feedstock pulp used by apparel brands to make fabrics like viscose/rayon and lyocell, which are normally made from trees. Today, over 200 million trees are logged every year to produce pulp for the apparel industry. In addition to being tree-free, The Hurd Co’s patented technology is dramatically more sustainable: the zero emission process uses half the water and 90% less energy than conventional pulping processes. Agrilose is a one-to-one replacement for tree pulp and will be available at a cost-competitive price, making it an easy substitute for manufacturers and an easy choice for brands.