Keel Labs is a platform for innovation, broadening our vision for the potential of the ocean to accelerate our planet’s development towards a more sustainable future.

Driven by the exploration of novel resources from the ocean, Keel Labs functions as a hub for the next generation of climate-focused solutions derived from nature.

About Us

As a sustainable materials company, our innovation is built on the premise of mirroring the natural efficiency of marine ecosystems. We believe that materials should be regeneratively grown, renewably sourced, and created without environmental harm.

This philosophy drove us to create Kelsun™ yarn, our flagship product. Kelsun is a seaweed-based yarn with a significantly lower environmental footprint than legacy fibers, making it a powerful alternative to conventional materials that deplete resources and are harmful to our planet.

Textiles transformed,
with the power of the ocean.

In a name, Keel

A keel is the structural spine of a ship, from the bow to the stern. A keel functions to create balance between the ocean and a ship's forward momentum.

On the surface, the keel is pragmatic and functional. It evokes seafaring and hearkens to navigating rolling waves and endless horizons.

Symbolically, the keel is crucial in staying the course. It is the centerline which supports the entire ship. Navigating storms and uncertain conditions, the keel creates balance through adversity, keeping the ship afloat.

Just as the keel of the ship is instrumental in maintaining progress and forward momentum, Keel Labs is at the forefront of the material revolution – conscientiously engineering materials for lower impact on our environment at every stage of design, from development to decomposition. We use this philosophy in guiding the world to a brighter, more sustainable future.

At the helm
of material
innovation.

Our beginnings

Keel Labs, begun as AlgiKnit in 2017, officially became KeelLabs in 2022. AlgiKnit was extremely functional in name and in vision — we used algae to make fibers. Our new name reflects a fundamental shift in how we think about the challenge of creating sustainable materials and an acknowledgement that the scope of our work is so much greater than we imagined.

We do not just make Kelsun, our flagship fiber, we're building a future in which sustainable aquaculture derived from materials span industries and applications to repair humanity's relationship with our natural ecosystems.

Keel Labs functions both as a platform and parent for the rising tide of innovation. Our mission is to harness the potential of natural materials to transform the textile industry and the world. The actualization of this mission is steadfastly rooted in our belief that we can transform material science in collaboration with nature and community.