Introduction

According to COP21, textile industry is the second-largestpolluter globally, second to the oil. Different stages oftextile production produce different kinds of harmfulpollutants. To relief the environmental problem broughtby textile industry, Kombucha tea SCOBY is proposed byfew fashion designer to be used as textile material.Kombucha tea is a lightly fizzy drink and can assist indigestive health and liver detoxification. It is made bymixing symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast withsweetened tea. During fermentation, a pellicle formedon surface is called SCOBY. It is 100% biodegradablecellulose and has leather-liked texture. In our project, westudy the feasibility of using the microbes in Kombuchatea to produce “textile material” – SCOBY by comparingits “textile” properties with common textile materials(cotton and polyester).

Experiment

Growing SCOBY

Measuring Textile Properties of SCOBY

Mix the sugar/tea solution with microbes

in Kombucha tea

Cover the mixture and grow the “SCOBY”

over week

Add sugar and tea bags into water and

boil the mixture

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Feasibility of Using Microbes to Make TextileJBBC09

Conclusion

SCOBY - 100% Cellulose

Biodegradable and

Environmentally friendly

Modern textile industry- The second largest polluter globally

References• http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-24/brewing-clothes-queensland-fashion-student-grow-garments-in-jar/5765060• https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-fashion-industry-tries-to-take-responsibility-for-its-pollution/2016/06/30/11706fa6-3e15-11e6-80bc-

d06711fd2125_story.html?utm_term=.17d6cb82a623

Lee Audrey Chu Man-ching Carrie Chiu Shun LokLeung Long Hei Ziv Wong Paolo

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

To study the surface morphology of textile samples

Tensile Strength Test Heat Retention Test

SEM Scan

Under 10000X

Under 3000X

Tensile Strength Test

Tensile Strength of SCOBY increases with thickness

Heat Retention Test

Standardized

Red Tea SCOBY (compared with common textile materials) Highest tensile strength (with same thickness)

∵ weaved by very long and fine fabrics and intertwined very well

Best heat retention∵ SCOBY has less “porous” in structure

conserve heat energy much better

Feasible to use microbes

to make promising

textile material - SCOBY

Red Tea SCOBY Oolong Tea SCOBY Polyester Cotton

>10 mmPolyester and Cotton

have thicker fiber and

a lot “porous” than

SCOBYs

Red Tea SCOBY Oolong Tea SCOBY Green Tea SCOBY

Both Red Tea and Oolong TeaSCOBYs weaved continuouslyby longer and thinner “fiber”than Green Tea SCOBY

~0.1 mm ~0.5 mm

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

Red Tea SCOBY Oolong Tea SCOBY Polyester Cotton

Re

lati

ve T

en

sile

Str

en

gth

Comparing Relative Tensile Strengths of SCOBYs with Common Textile Materials

With same thickness,Red Tea SCOBY is the stiffest

Thinnest Red Tea SCOBY

keep warm the most !!!30

35

40

45

50

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Tem

pe

ratu

re (

oC

)

Time (min)

Heat Durability Test for Different Textile

Oolong Tea SCOBY Cotton Polyester Red Tea SCOBY

Takes longest time to have same temperature drop

y = 33.077x

y = 81.714x

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12

Ten

sile

Str

en

gth

(N

mm

-2)

Thickness of SCOBY (mm)

Thickness Effect on Tensile Strength of SCOBY

Oolong Tea SCOBY

Red Tea SCOBY

Red Tea SCOBY > Oolong Tea SCOBY