We all know and love our SCOBY cultures, right? The traditional, delicious, probiotic and enzyme rich beverage they create known as kombucha has been consumed for centuries in Russia although its origins are based in China.
Those of you who have been making this healthful drink for any length of time know that after awhile, you have quite a few extra cultures each time you ferment a batch. You can either give these away to friends who want to start brewing their own kombucha or you can use them to make the best compost.
BUT!
Warning. The following is from the Real Food X-Files.
Did you ever think that your leftover kombucha cultures could be used to make organic clothing?
Grow not only your own food, but your own clothing as well?
Fashion designer Suzanne Lee is doing just that by harvesting kombucha cultures to make organic, sustainable clothing from shoes to jackets and vests.
The kombucha fibers are made of pure cellulose spun by the beneficial bacteria and yeasts that comprise the culture, in essence a microbial version of silkworms spinning silk!
Check out this short TED video where Suzanne Lee demonstrates this intriguing process she has developed for growing rather than manufacturing clothing.
More Information
Want to know more about kombucha? Â These articles provide more detail for your research.
Fluoride in Kombucha: Should You Be Concerned?
Can Candida Sufferers Drink Kombucha?
Does Kombucha Prevent Grey Hair?
Batch vs Continuous Brew Kombucha
Have You Tried Kombucha?
Safe Traveling with Kombucha
So, now its made, what then? Bottles? Or drink as is?
Yes, drink as is or bottle. Your choice. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-putting-the-fizz-into-homemade-soda/
I wonder if Cinderella actually wore this and it was going to rain at midnight. hee. Love me some kombucha!
Nobody mentions the massive amount of clean water she’s wasting or the massive amount of refined sugar she’s also wasting (or the clear cut land that sugar is grown on, and the oil & resources used to process / package / ship said sugar). All for see thru clothing you can’t sweat in. Practical.
we’re huge kombucha fans. He’s yet another reason why! http://t.co/CxzkHMH #fermentation
Kombucha: Drink It and …. Wear It? – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/1gIxxHm
crazy!! been thinking about selling some of our kombucha at a farmer’s market. Has anyone done this or know the reg. for it? I think it’d be a great way to get word out to these people about his beverage!
Fasinating!!! I don’t think I will be making clothing anytime soon with my kombucha.
I think it is pretty cool that she came up with this in the first place. As a seamstress, I’m itching to get my hands on some kombucha and try this out. I don’t doubt there are some natural resins or oils that may make the “fabric” water-proof. Of course we may be coming at this from the wrong viewpoint. Rayon is made from wood cellulose (which is how we have bamboo fabric) maybe we should be converting the cellulose into rayon…
@singalongmommy Would you ever wear Kombucha http://ow.ly/613YZ