Sustainable design firm Shellf Life
to launch production & R&D facility

Providence, RI Transforming seafood waste into regenerative architectural materials, Shellf Life will join a community of creatives, makers, manufacturers, and workforce development businesses at 50 Sims.

“Shellf Life brings regenerative manufacturing to 50 Sims, establishing our production facility in Providence’s Valley neighborhood. What began as my RISD M.Arch directed research thesis has evolved into a winner of King Charles III’s Terra Carta Design Lab, a sustainable innovation initiative led by Sir Jony Ive that recognizes solutions addressing the climate crisis. Providence’s intersection of seafood heritage and manufacturing innovation makes 50 Sims the right place to scale our technology,” said founder & CEO, Felicia Neuhof. “We’re building a circular manufacturing model that transforms waste into regenerative materials, connecting local resource recovery to global climate impact.”

Mayor Brett Smiley welcomed Shellf Life’s arrival, emphasizing the company’s alignment with Providence’s values. “Providence is proud to be a city where innovation and industry intersect,” said Smiley. “We are proud to welcome Shellf Life to 50 Sims, a growing hub of creativity, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. This revitalized historic space has become a model for how cities can support makers, artists, and businesses that drive both economic and environmental progress. Shellf Life’s commitment to regenerative manufacturing strengthens our local economy and aligns with the city’s dedication to sustainability and forward-thinking design. We look forward to seeing them thrive and contribute to Providence’s legacy of innovation.”

Set to launch its first commercial line this year, Shellf Life, which creates lighting, furniture, and architectural surfaces through lean, circular manufacturing, joins a mix of tenants at 50 Sims, a creative workspace under development by design and development practice, Scout. The growing community at 50 Sims, is home to an array of businesses, including nationally recognized workforce development programs, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, a brewery and brewpub, and artists including ceramicists, painters, interior designers, and many others.

Other additions to the community this month are DEGEN, which creates beautifully designed knitting patterns and artisan-made knitwear and knitting tools, as well as Pretty Snake, fashion and home brand created by textile designer Joseph Aaron Segal.