Tammy Hsu's guest appearances

Tammy Hsu

Spirit of 608: Fashion, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability + Tech

This or Something Better

Michelle Obama

Aubrie Pagano

Eileen Fisher

Charlotte Fanneau

Melissa Gonzalez

Stacy Flynn

Tracy Sun

Stella McCartney

Amy Levin

Nikki Reed

Tina Sharkey

Rachel Swanson

Julie Wainwright

Molly Stillman

Tracy DiNunzio

OwlTail

Michelle Zhu

Nearly everyone owns at least one pair of jeans, if not multiple. There is so much to love about denim: its range of shades, faded appearance, it’s versatility. We all love denim so much that it’s estimated that billions of jeans, and with that 70,000 tons of indigo, are produced each year.   What you may not know is that synthetic indigo and most dyes are made from fossil fuels and are processed using toxic chemicals. Indigo, along with many other dyes used in the textile industry pollutes waterways, damages local ecosystems, and impacts the health of the people working in the mills and factories.   Michelle Zhu and Tammy Tsu are on a mission to change that. They are the founders of Huue, a biotech company that is using genetically engineered microbes to create the natural indigo dye. While they are starting with indigo, Michelle and Tammy’s larger vision is to create the next generation of sustainable dyes that are better for people and the planet.    I’m grateful to Diana Kapp who shared their story in her book, “Girls Who Green the World”. You can listen to my conversation with Diana in Episode 74 (listen here).    About Michelle Zhu Michelle Zhu is CEO &amp; Co-founder of Huue, a biotechnology company creating the world's most sustainable dyes for the industries that are shaping the future of the Earth, starting with the indigo in your jeans. Its mission is to minimize the number of toxic chemicals used in the dye production and application process. With a family background in fashion and a career in business operations and strategy, Michelle currently manages all aspects of Huue's operations, fundraising, and sales efforts. She has been recognized as a 2021 Inc Female Founder, a 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30, and a 2022 Entrepreneur Woman of Influence. Michelle received her BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis.   About Tammy Hsu  Dr. Tammy Hsu is a scientist working at the intersection of biology and sustainable fashion. She is the Chief Scientific Officer of Huue, a Berkley-based startup working to revolutionize the dyes and colorants industry, starting with indigo for denim. Their bio-based solution removes the need for toxic chemicals in the indigo production and dyeing processes. Tammy completed her Ph.D. in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley at John Dueber's prestigious synbio lab, where her doctoral research laid the foundation for Huue’s technology. Prior to that, she earned a BS at Stanford University. She is Inc Female Founder 100, one of Newsweek's America's 50 Greatest Disruptors, an MIT 35 Under 35, and a 2022 Entrepreneur Woman of Influence.   Connect with Huue Website https://www.huue.bio  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/huuebio/  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/huue/    Support the Podcast Support the podcast by shopping with my affiliate partners. By shopping using my links and promo codes, you help to fund the ongoing production of the show. These companies align with my mission to help make people and the planet safer, healthier, and happier. View a full list of my affiliate partners and the discount codes here.  https://linktr.ee/thisorsomethingbetter   Shop Beautycounter: You can also support the podcast by supporting my business with Beautycounter. Use the promo code CLEANFORALL20 for 20% off your first purchase. www.beautycounter.com/regannelson 

Nearly everyone owns at least one pair of jeans, if not multiple. There is so much to love about denim: its range of shades, faded appearance, it’s versatility. We all love denim so much that it’s estimated that billions of jeans, and with that 70,000 tons of indigo, are produced each year. What you may not know is that synthetic indigo and most dyes are made from fossil fuels and are processed using toxic chemicals. Indigo, along with many other dyes used in the textile industry pollutes waterways, damages local ecosystems, and impacts the health of the people working in the mills and factories. Michelle Zhu and Tammy Tsu are on a mission to change that. They are the founders of Huue, a biotech company that is using genetically engineered microbes to create the natural indigo dye. While they are starting with indigo, Michelle and Tammy’s larger vision is to create the next generation of sustainable dyes that are better for people and the planet.  I’m grateful to Diana Kapp who shared their story in her book, “Girls Who Green the World”. You can listen to my conversation with Diana in Episode 74 (<a href="https://thisorsomethingbetter.libsyn.com/ep-74-girls-who-green-the-world-with-diana-kapp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">listen here</a>).  About Michelle Zhu Michelle Zhu is CEO &amp; Co-founder of Huue, a biotechnology company creating the world's most sustainable dyes for the industries that are shaping the future of the Earth, starting with the indigo in your jeans. Its mission is to minimize the number of toxic chemicals used in the dye production and application process. With a family background in fashion and a career in business operations and strategy, Michelle currently manages all aspects of Huue's operations, fundraising, and sales efforts. She has been recognized as a 2021 Inc Female Founder, a 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30, and a 2022 Entrepreneur Woman of Influence. Michelle received her BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis. About Tammy Hsu  Dr. Tammy Hsu is a scientist working at the intersection of biology and sustainable fashion. She is the Chief Scientific Officer of Huue, a Berkley-based startup working to revolutionize the dyes and colorants industry, starting with indigo for denim. Their bio-based solution removes the need for toxic chemicals in the indigo production and dyeing processes. Tammy completed her Ph.D. in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley at John Dueber's prestigious synbio lab, where her doctoral research laid the foundation for Huue’s technology. Prior to that, she earned a BS at Stanford University. She is Inc Female Founder 100, one of Newsweek's America's 50 Greatest Disruptors, an MIT 35 Under 35, and a 2022 Entrepreneur Woman of Influence. Connect with Huue Website <a href="https://www.huue.bio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.huue.bio</a> Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/huuebio/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/huuebio/</a> LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/huue/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/huue/</a> Support the Podcast Support the podcast by shopping with my affiliate partners. By shopping using my links and promo codes, you help to fund the ongoing production of the show. These companies align with my mission to help make people and the planet safer, healthier, and happier. View a full list of my affiliate partners and the discount codes here.  <a href="https://linktr.ee/thisorsomethingbetter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://linktr.ee/thisorsomethingbetter</a> Shop Beautycounter: You can also support the podcast by supporting my business with Beautycounter. Use the promo code CLEANFORALL20 for 20% off your first purchase. <a href="http://www.beautycounter.com/regannelson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.beautycounter.com/regannelson</a>

Episode 96: Creating the World’s Most Sustainable Dyes with Michelle Zhu and Tammy Hsu of Huue

Indigo may sound benign because, well, plants (?!) right? Not so fast. As it turns out, the vast majority of today's denim gets its true blue hue from a synthetic process rich in harmful chemicals that create problems for water supplies and workers alike. On this week's episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast, you'll hear from two San Francisco startup founders using biotech to reinvent indigo - and with it, a better future for denim. Listen in to hear how a chance and completely non-apparel-related inquiry into an indigo alternative in a UC Berkeley lab led this team of co-founders to start a company -- and, we hope, an entirely new way of approaching the denim-making process thanks to the magic (okay, science) of microbes. Meet this week's guests, Michelle Zhu and Tammy Hsu, Co-founders of Tinctorium Inc.  Sign up for the PressDope weekly email to get DIY PR tips and The Dope List of media opps, calls for pitches, FEST events and more ways to raise your visibility. What to know Curious about the co-founders' journey? Tammy worked on this technology during her PhD at UC Berkeley, while Michelle brings the business background and a family history in the denim and apparel biz. According to Tinctorium, "Everyone owns a pair of jeans - they’re a wardrobe staple. But the untold story in the denim industry is that the very substance that gives jeans their iconic look, indigo, is polluting our planet. Today, chemically synthesized indigo is the industry standard for dyeing jeans. It is made from petroleum, formaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide. And because indigo isn’t water soluble, it requires the addition of corrosive reducing agents in equal parts to be applied as dye. These toxic chemicals in the denim dyeing process are hazardous for workers and ruinous to water sources. For the last century, this problem has persisted as the status quo, untold and unresolved. Existing solutions are either unscalable or insufficient - until now." Luckily for the future, "We at Tinctorium have discovered a way to harness the power of biotechnology to enable sustainable indigo production. We figured out how to mirror a natural plant process within microbes to produce colors using completely renewable sources. We’re the sustainable solution for the future, and we’re taking on the denim industry to bring you cleaner jeans." Linkage: Website: tinctoriumbio.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tinctoriumbio/ Instagram: @tinctoriumbio Twitter: @tinctoriumbio Mentioned in this episode: Indie Bio  AMA for Tinctorium on Reddit  Overdressed by Elizabeth Cline DocSend   Find more episodes featuring women at the forefront of FEST online at www.Spiritof608.com.

Indigo may sound benign because, well, plants (?!) right? Not so fast. As it turns out, the vast majority of today's denim gets its true blue hue from a synthetic process rich in harmful chemicals that create problems for water supplies and workers alike. On this week's episode of the Spirit of 608 podcast, you'll hear from two San Francisco startup founders using biotech to reinvent indigo - and with it, a better future for denim. Listen in to hear how a chance and completely non-apparel-related inquiry into an indigo alternative in a UC Berkeley lab led this team of co-founders to start a company -- and, we hope, an entirely new way of approaching the denim-making process thanks to the magic (okay, science) of microbes. Meet this week's guests, Michelle Zhu and Tammy Hsu, Co-founders of <a href="https://www.tinctoriumbio.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tinctorium Inc.</a> <a href="https://spiritof608.activehosted.com/f/119" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for the PressDope weekly email to get DIY PR tips and The Dope List of media opps, calls for pitches, FEST events and more ways to raise your visibility.</a> What to know Curious about the co-founders' journey? Tammy worked on this technology during her PhD at UC Berkeley, while Michelle brings the business background and a family history in the denim and apparel biz. According to Tinctorium, "Everyone owns a pair of jeans - they’re a wardrobe staple. But the untold story in the denim industry is that the very substance that gives jeans their iconic look, indigo, is polluting our planet. Today, chemically synthesized indigo is the industry standard for dyeing jeans. It is made from petroleum, formaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide. And because indigo isn’t water soluble, it requires the addition of corrosive reducing agents in equal parts to be applied as dye. These toxic chemicals in the denim dyeing process are hazardous for workers and ruinous to water sources. For the last century, this problem has persisted as the status quo, untold and unresolved. Existing solutions are either unscalable or insufficient - until now." Luckily for the future, "We at Tinctorium have discovered a way to harness the power of biotechnology to enable sustainable indigo production. We figured out how to mirror a natural plant process within microbes to produce colors using completely renewable sources. We’re the sustainable solution for the future, and we’re taking on the denim industry to bring you cleaner jeans." Linkage: Website: <a href="https://www.tinctoriumbio.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tinctoriumbio.com</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tinctoriumbio/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/tinctoriumbio/</a> Instagram: <a href="http://instagram.com/tinctoriumbio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tinctoriumbio</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/tinctoriumbio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tinctoriumbio</a> Mentioned in this episode: <a href="https://indiebio.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Indie Bio</a> <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/bbek90/i_am_cofounder_of_a_sustainable_denim_startup/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> AMA for Tinctorium on Reddit</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.de/Overdressed-Shockingly-High-Cheap-Fashion/dp/1591846544" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Overdressed by Elizabeth Cline</a> <a href="https://www.docsend.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DocSend</a> Find more episodes featuring women at the forefront of FEST online at <a href="http://www.spiritof608.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.Spiritof608.com</a>.

Reinventing Indigo + A Better Future for Denim Through Bio-Fashion Entrepreneurship with Tinctorium Co-Founders Michelle Zhu and Tammy Hsu