Vietnam Produces Low-Emission Fabric from Kombucha Tea

RMIT University Vietnam researchers have successfully created wallets and paintable canvas from kombucha, furthering their efforts to produce sustainable fashion fabrics. This innovative approach addresses the fashion industry's significant environmental impact, particularly its reliance on high-emission materials like cotton and synthetic fabrics. Cotton production consumes vast amounts of water, while synthetics, derived from fossil fuels, contribute to microplastic pollution. Kombucha fabric offers a promising solution. The process involves cultivating Scoby, a bacteria and yeast culture, in a sugar-tea or coffee solution. This yields bacterial cellulose, a durable and biodegradable material. While scaling production to meet industry demands presents challenges, utilizing bio-waste for Scoby cultivation offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach. This research aligns with the global push for net-zero emissions in the fashion industry by 2050, particularly crucial for major apparel exporters like Vietnam, vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.