research
2020.03
Sustainable Value
As a naturally sustainable material, kombucha has many advantages. Payne, A. (2016) stated that unlike the pattern making process for leather, which typically wastes 15% to 20% in the cutting due to garment pattern shapes, kombucha can be grown with zero waste in tubs shaped as garment pattern pieces. In addition, no chemicals are used in the production of this 100% biodegradable material.
KOMBUTEX could substitute other textiles in the future, for example, leather, cotton, or paper. We have conducted research how these textiles compare in water, CO2, and chemical use. Paper and KOMBUTEX scored the lowest in CO2 emission factor. Compared to paper, leather, and cotton, KOMBUTEX doesn’t use any chemicals.
The main products used for Kombucha are tea, sugar, and water. Tea and sugar, the raw materials used, have their life cycle and are not always sustainable. Kombucha is not yet industrialized. It is not clear yet how KOMBUTEX is going to be used. KOMBUTEX grows best at 25ºC, which means that in an industrialized setting, more electricity is used.
Sustainable Trends
Slow design focuses on genuinely engaging in what you’re doing. Products designed now need to be for the long haul; they also need to focus on locality and community. These products will steer into a more sustainable direction while creating wellbeing in our mind. This goes hand in hand with the philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, focusing on natural materials that will age over time. These values and trends can allow room for innovations like KOMBUTEX.
