The start-up Modern Synthesis cultivates ‘microbial textiles’ within bioreactors at its new lab in London using sugar from plant waste and bacteria, which may eventually help to replace both leather and synthetic fabric made from fossil fuels.
“What we’re trying to build is a new bioeconomy that’s built around more efficient systems that convert waste—in our case, waste sugars from agricultural production or other sources—into high-quality materials that can then be circled back,” says cofounder Jen Keane. “Biology is the ultimate circular economy.” Later, the materials can be recycled, or, depending on how they’re made, composted.
Keane formerly worked on material design at Adidas, where she assisted the footwear industry leader in creating trainers out of trash collected from the ocean. But, the task made her understand how reliant on synthetic materials the industry was in the first place. Even while recycling these plastics was a crucial first step, she claims that it wasn’t the complete answer. “I wanted to look at how we can fundamentally rethink how we handle materials,” she said.
She enrolled in a master’s degree in biodesign and began interacting with scientists working in synthetic biology at Imperial College London. These scientists were investigating the K. rhaeticus bacteria, which is present in kombucha and creates the substance nanocellulose.
The tensile strength of the fibres is greater than that of steel, and they are stronger than Kevlar. Nanocellulose is currently utilised in some goods, such as bandages that aid in wound healing and face masks, but Keane was curious about how it may be used in the apparel sector.
A scaffold for the microorganisms to grow on is first constructed from other natural fibres by a robot. When they consume sugar, the microbes ‘weave’ a new fabric around the scaffold’s shape, creating a hybrid consisting of both the original scaffold material and the microbes’ nanocellulose.
Additionally, a finished product can be grown; Keane’s first prototype while still a student was a shoe made using the bacteria. But, she claims that in order to more readily scale up, the business intends to start by producing a material that garment brands can cut and sew.
The material produced at the facility looks like a synthetic fabric but has a natural feel to it. It can be more flexible, or thicker. It also can be designed for more durability, though that means the material wouldn’t naturally biodegrade as easily.
It can assist in reducing the environmental impact of using synthetic fabrics by taking their place. One estimate places the annual consumption of synthetic textiles at 350 million barrels of crude oil. It might be able to help avoid the ethical and environmental issues associated with growing livestock if it is modified to feel and look like leather.
Making samples that show potential applications for the material is the main goal of Modern Synthesis. Although further R&D is required to achieve its strict materials criteria, it now produces entire sheets of the material for brands to utilise in prototypes, according to Keane. It intends to transition to full-scale production over the following few years.
