Turning Kombucha SCOBY into leather

One of our big research interests is biomaterials. From chitosan to bacterial cellulose there’s a lot of potential for these materials to replace many of the petroleum based products common in every day use. Here we explore one such material.
Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented drink and as part of it’s life cycle, it produces a slimy layer made of cellulose and other polymers. This layer when dried and treated with a simple mixture of coconut oil and beeswax, transforms into a material that is very similar to leather. It can be shaped, sewn and is incredibly strong.For a more detailed instructional video, head over to The Thought Emporium, where there is a much longer tutorialFor more info about Scihouse, check out the links below:Website: http://
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