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KlothY

Engineering modular textiles

Why?

Harmful Production Methods

The textile industry is responsible for ~20% of the industrial water pollution and contributes to 35% of the oceanic primary microplastics. Many chemicals used in textile production and processing are harmful to the environment as well as the workers.(Niinimäki et al, 2023)

Currently used textiles, especially blended materials are near impossible to recycle and pose an ever growing problem as they pile up in massive landfills.(Niinimäki et al, 2023)

Difficult To Recycle

Currently used textiles, especially blended materials are near impossible to recycle and pose an ever growing problem as they pile up in massive landfills.(Niinimäki et al, 2023)

Extensive Supply Chains

Textiles often are transported across the globe which results in high carbon emissions.(Niinimäki et al, 2023)

Our approach

Modular

Customizable textile properties by adjusting inducer concentration.

Due to the special way KlothY is made it can be produced anywhere in the world and is not bound to any climate region.(Niinimäki et al.,2023)

Locally produced

Due to the special way KlothY is made it can be produced anywhere in the world and is not bound to any climate region.(Niinimäki et al.,2023)

Demand based

Since our textile grows quick we do not have to rely on over production but can fulfill customers needs.(Niinimäki et al., 2023)

Meet our Protagonists

Linus (Komagaeitabacter xylinus)

Linus produces Bacterial cellulose which acts as the foundation of our textile. Bacterial cellulose is chemically one of the most pure sources of cellulose in nature and has very high mechanical strength. The main advantages being very high mechanical strength and purity. (Esa et al., 2014) To achieve even more control. Linus has been modified to only produce cellulose through induction, giving us better control during cultivation and adjusting the amount of bacterial cellulose produced.

Yeastus Job is to modify our properties. To achieve that it has been modified to produce and secrete xyloglucan (polysaccharide normally found in plants) as well as three chromoproteins (cyan, magenta and yellow) with unique inducers for expression. Through this, Yeastus is able to add xyloglucan which interacts with cellulose to increase flexibility and dye our textiles in custom colors at the same time.

Yeastus (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

Yeastus Job is to modify our properties. To achieve that it has been modified to produce and secrete xyloglucan (polysaccharide normally found in plants) as well as three chromoproteins (cyan, magenta and yellow) with unique inducers for expression. Through this, Yeastus is able to add xyloglucan which interacts with cellulose to increase flexibility and dye our textiles in custom colors at the same time.

KlothY (Our textile)

Our final product is an accumulation of Bacterial Cellulose together with xyloglucan. Through that, we aim to achieve an elastic cloth-like mat. Together with the dyes, we should get a cloth that is both flexible and dyed just the way we need it to.

References