Our Team

FreyZein® is a global consortium of innovators and entrepreneurs specializing in cellulose material innovation.

Our proficiency extends across materials science, nanotechnology, surface chemistry, design, and business development enabling us to provide holistic textile solutions rooted in bio-intelligent and bio-inspired methodologies.

We are challenging the status quo and innovate from:

FreyZein HQ Graz
Stremayergasse 16/4
8010 Graz
Austria

FreyZein Tech Lab Dornbirn
Steinebach 7
6850 Dornbirn
Austria

Jan Anders Karlsson - CEO & Co-Founder Freyzein

Jan Anders Karlsson, mSc

CEO & Co-Founder

Engineering/Industrial Management

 

SABRINA STACHERL

SABRINA STACHERL, MA

CFO & Co-Founder
Finance and Human Resources

 

Dr. Barnaby Caven - CTO & Co-Founder - Textile Scientist

BARNABY CAVEN, PHD

CTO & Co-Founder

Material Scientist

 

ENRICO COZZONI, PHD

Head of IP & Innovation

Material Engineer, Sustainability

 

ANDREAS JARITZ, MSC

CMO & CIO

BizDev, Investment Strategy, Communications

 

Solmaz Ghanbarnezhad, PhD

Senior Scientist

Material Research & Development

 

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The Story of FreyZein

MAKAvA: The Birth of a Sustainable Beverage

 Co-founder Jan’s entrepreneurial journey began with a trip to Argentina, where he discovered Yerba Mate. This led to the creation of MAKAvA, a beverage that embodies sustainability and should became an iconic beverage. Bottled in the pristine Alps of Austria, MAKAvA is more than just an organic, fair-traded, and climate-neutral ice tea. It’s a testament to Jan’s commitment to nature and sustainability. Till today, MAKAvA has sold 35 million bottles of delighted ice tea. But there was even more impact to be created…

 

From Fashion to Tech Brand

Living close the Alps, Jan’s connection to nature made him craving about creating even more positive impact on the planet. This urge extended towards a vision beyond beverages: He aspired to revolutionize the textile industry. Particularly, the heavily plastic dominated performance outdoor clothing market kept Karlsson restless.

This aspiration gave birth to FreyZein, where Sabrina joined as co-founder. Initiated as a fashion brand creating jackets from natural materials only, the founder team’s realization of the need for better performance of sustainable materials marked FreyZein’s transition into a NextGen Materials and Tech Company. This was when the competences of Barnaby and Enrico, both PhDs with ample experience in material science, textiles, and innovation, came into play…

NextGen Materials Company

FreyZein now aims to challenge the incumbent performance textile industry. Breaking free from petrochemical reliance, the company substitutes petrochemicals with sustainable bio-based feedstocks. This enables clothing brands worldwide to create outdoor and performance wear in a truly sustainable way. FreyZein’s mission is to produce outdoor wear free from plastics, further strengthening its commitment to nature and sustainability.

natural biodegradable jacket outerwear fashion sustainable clothing ocean plastic environment pollution harm skin health organic clothes clothing naturewear material cotton linen wool organic recycle bicircular