Fiber

Fiber

In this episode of SUBSTANCE, host Joe Hanson explores the unique capabilities of fibers like hemp or coconut and where they can be used sustainably: From the automotive industry to coastal protection. BASF expert Shengzhong Zhou, PhD, explains how a BASF binder turns natural fibers in a surprisingly stable and very lightweight material and how this can change automotive industry. He also presents the "Future Chair," co‑developed with BASF from bamboo fibers, which was awarded for sustainable design and material innovation in 2025. Julie Schumacher and Zack Royle from the nonprofit American Littoral Society also turn to fibers for a global ecological challenge: to stop erosion on the New Jersey coast, they developed a method to restore the beach and rebuild the marsh – using coconut fibers that would otherwise end up as waste. More info about this episode: www.basf.com/substance-podcast [https://www.basf.com/substance-podcast] More about American Littoral Society: https://www.littoralsociety.org/ [https://www.littoralsociety.org/] SUBSTANCE is a podcast by BASF; produced by TERRITORY Agency in collaboration with Wake Word and Joe Hanson. Research and scripting by Danielle Sedbrook, Claudia Dolye, Stefan Rommel and Joe Hanson.

Salt

Salt may be one of the most familiar substances in everyday life, but in this episode of SUBSTANCE, host Joe Hanson explores how a special class of salts could help decarbonize one of the most overlooked parts of the energy system: heat. With the help of experts Dr. Nils-Olof Born of BASF and Assistant Professor Silvia Trevisan of KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Joe Hanson looks at how so-called molten salts can store and deliver heat for industrial processes without relying on fossil fuels. Nils-Olof Born, Global Marketing and Product Manager for Inorganic Salts at BASF, explains why certain nitrogen salt mixtures are so promising for thermal energy storage: Unlike ordinary table salt, these mixtures melt at comparatively low temperatures what makes them pumpable. And: Molten salts can hold a lot of heat, without taking up too much space. He also discusses BASF’s role as a supplier of high-purity synthetic salts and why the company is interested in molten salt technology both as a materials producer and as an industrial heat user. Silvia Trevisan argues that heat deserves far more attention in the energy transition. She explains why decarbonizing industrial heat is essential for meaningful emissions reductions and how molten salt systems can help by converting energy into heat, storing it, and releasing it when needed. The episode also highlights how this technology is already being tested and deployed in real-world applications, including Kyoto Group’s Heatcube systems for industrial and district heating. In next month’s episode, we will discuss “Fibers”. Subscribe now so you’ll never miss an episode. More about guest Silvia Trevisan and her work as Assistant Professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden: https://www.kth.se/profile/trevisan [https://www.kth.se/profile/trevisan] More about Kyoto Group‘s Heatcube systems: https://www.kyotogroup.no/heatcube [https://www.kyotogroup.no/heatcube] SUBSTANCE is a podcast by BASF, produced by TERRITORY Agency, in collaboration with Wake Word and Joe Hanson. Research and scripting by Danielle Sedbrook, Claudia Doyle, Stefan Rommel and Joe Hanson.

CO2

CO₂ is one of the gases most closely linked to global warming, but it is also deeply embedded in how modern industry and cities function. In this episode of SUBSTANCE, host Joe Hanson explores what it will take to reduce emissions in two places that matter enormously for the climate: industrial production and urban design. Drawing on perspectives from Christoph Jäkel of BASF and renowned architect and urban planner Steffen Lehmann, the episode looks at how systems can be redesigned to cut carbon emissions while improving the way we live. Dr. Christoph Jäkel, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability at BASF, explains how their Verbund-approach connects production processes so that heat and by-products from one plant can be used in another, helping to save resources and lower the company’s carbon footprint. One example is BASF’s new Verbund site in Zhanjiang, China, which is designed to run on renewable electricity, Urban planner Professor Steffen Lehmann argues that cities can play a crucial role in lowering CO₂ emissions if they are designed to be denser, greener, and less dependent on private cars. He explains why compact, polycentric cities have a lower carbon footprint than sprawling urban regions and discusses how urban planning choices such as more tree cover, better cycling infrastructure, and mixed-use neighborhoods can make cities both more climate-friendly and more livable. In next months’ episode, we will discuss “Salt”. Subscribe now so you’ll never miss an episode. More about this episode: www.basf.com/substance-podcast [https://www.basf.com/substance-podcast] More about guest Steffen Lehmann and his projects: www.unlv.edu/people/steffen-lehmann [https://www.unlv.edu/people/steffen-lehmann] www.si-architecture.com/ [https://www.si-architecture.com/] SUBSTANCE is a podcast by BASF, produced by TERRITORY Agency, in collaboration with Wake Word and Joe Hanson. Research and scripting by Danielle Sedbrook, Claudia Doyle, Stefan Rommel and Joe Hanson.

Fabric

Fabrics and fashion are deeply tied to sustainability – not least because the scale of production and consumption means huge volumes end up as waste or pollution. This episode of SUBSTANCE asks what it would take to “close the loop” and move fabrics toward a circular economy. Host Joe Hanson draws on perspectives from both the Hong Kong–based nonprofit Redress and BASF in his exploration of why circularity is a useful way to turn intent into action; from designing for durability, repair and recyclability to building the systems needed for collection and sorting. Christina Dean, PhD, founder and CEO of Redress, argues for a broader system shift in fashion where circular design, education, and industry action matter as much as consumer choices. The episode also features Dag Wiebelhaus, PhD, Head of Innovation of BASF’s Monomers division, who presents a groundbreaking technology that turns used textiles into new garments. At the same time, he acknowledges the economic and infrastructure hurdles that still make scaling challenging. Host Joe Hanson guides the conversation through both the innovative approach and the real-world constraint of changing how clothing is made, used, and recovered. Subscribe now so you’ll never miss an episode. More info about this episode: basf.com/substance-podcast More info about Dr. Christina Dean and Redress: www.redress.com.hk [https://www.redress.com.hk] More info about loopamid: www.loopamid.com/global/en [https://www.loopamid.com/global/en] SUBSTANCE is a podcast by BASF, produced by TERRITORY Agency, in collaboration with Wake Word and Joe Hanson. Research and scripting by Danielle Sedbrook, Claudia Doyle, Hardy Röde and Joe Hanson.

Water

In this episode, our host Joe Hanson discusses a SUBSTANCE that is literally vital: water. Former NASA expert, now entrepreneur Diana Yousef and BASF scientist Ligia Azevedo make it clear in their stories, that the economical use of clean drinking water is essential for our survival and how new technologies can help us preserve it. Diana Yousef, PhD, experienced water scarcity in her family history and, as founder and CEO of change:WATER Labs, wants to change how and how much of it we use. With her experience in space research, she developed a waterless toilet. Ligia Azevedo, PhD, works at the Agricultural Solutions division of BASF and is involved in an innovative method to reduce water consumption and methane emissions in rice cultivation. That is a decisive lever: Rice is the staple food for more than two-thirds of the world’s population with a traditional cultivation that consumes vast amounts of freshwater. Responsible water use concerns us all. This episode inspires you with two concrete examples of how things can be changed to the better. You find more information about this podcast episode here: www.basf.com/substance-podcast [https://www.basf.com/substance-podcast] and in this article: https://www.basf.com/global/en/media/magazine/creatingchemistrystories/2026/smart-solutions-for-a-thirsty-tradition [https://www.basf.com/global/en/media/magazine/creatingchemistrystories/2026/smart-solutions-for-a-thirsty-tradition] More info about Diana Yousef and change:WATER Labs: https://www.change-water.com [https://www.change-water.com] SUBSTANCE is a podcast by BASF, produced by TERRITORY Agency, in collaboration with Wake Word and Joe Hanson. Research and scripting by Danielle Sedbrook, Claudia Doyle, Stefan Rommel and Joe Hanson.