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New Age innovations turn unusual materials like milk, oranges into textiles

"Bolt Threads’ recently entered into a collaboration with Ecovative for growing faux animal leather from mycelium, mushrooms’ underground root structure. They grow the cells with other nutrients in corn stalk beds, compressing the structure into a two-dimensional material, and then tanning it with English breakfast tea instead of caustic chemicals. It takes 10 days to grow Mylo, unlike the years it takes to raise a cow. The leather-like slab is cut into thinner pieces, giving a supple feel. The material is biodegradable. "

 

Trendspotting 2019 New Age innovations turn unusual materials like milk oranges into textiles 002Bolt Threads’ recently entered into a collaboration with Ecovative for growing faux animal leather from mycelium, mushrooms’ underground root structure. They grow the cells with other nutrients in corn stalk beds, compressing the structure into a two-dimensional material, and then tanning it with English breakfast tea instead of caustic chemicals. It takes 10 days to grow Mylo, unlike the years it takes to raise a cow. The leather-like slab is cut into thinner pieces, giving a supple feel. The material is biodegradable. Bolt Threads partnered Stella McCartney on a handbag for a Victoria & Albert London exhibition, "Fashioned from Nature" and plans to sell the bags.

Piñatex fiber from Pineapple leaves

A not for profit company Ananas Anam uses Pineapple leaves to make the Pinatex fiber. This fabric is used by Hugo Boss to make sneakers. Piñatex is commercially available and next year, H&M will introduce the material into a collection. The fiber is priced about the same as mid-range leather and is biodegradable. It is first extracted in the Philippines, and then sent to Barcelona, Spain for finishing.

Chicken feathers: Still in academic research stage, Yang’s lab is trying to make protein fibers out of chicken feathers. The New Age innovations turn unusual materials like milk oranges into textiles 001structure is the same as wool .

Sustainable businesses for income generation

The new materials aren’t necessarily a replacement for cotton, wool and polyester rather a supplement for them. These companies are generating income for the farms supplying their raw materials, even if the materials would otherwise go to the landfill. It's important for these businesses to be sustainable, not just from a carbon dioxide point of view, but also in terms of payment of salaries and reinvesting profits.

 

 
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