kombucha tea tagged posts

Young-A Lee and her research team have designed a vest and shoe prototype from the cellulosic fiber grown in this lab. Credit: Christopher Gannon, Iowa State University

The fashion industry generates a lot of waste, which is why a team of researchers developed a new fiber that’s 100% biodegradable. Researchers are testing the fiber – made from a green tea byproduct – to see if it’s a viable alternative. Instead of soil and seeds, LeBaron Hall lab plastic bins contain a gel-like film consisting of cellulose fibers – a byproduct of kombucha tea – that feeds off a mixture of vinegar and sugar. The film is grown by using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY)...