Bacterial Cellulose / Vegan Leather / Scoby Project

[Endy0816]

Bacterial Cellulose / Vegan Leather / Scoby Project

Attempt to form bacterial cellulose using Kombucha recipe as a starting point. The result is also known as a SCOBY, a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast.

This was first really popularized(online anyways) by Designer Suzzane Lee with a set of Vegan "Leather" clothes. Thought Emporium / Scihouse improved on this a relatively simple water proofing strategy, involving a Cup Coconut Oil and 1 spoon Beeswax-Mineral Oil mixture. Researchers are looking into this as well. Has a number of useful properties. Expensive to produce on an industrial scale, but can make use of waste products.

Test 1
⦁    1 Gallon Distilled Water
⦁    2 Teabags
⦁    1 Cup Sugar
⦁    Starter Culture(Store Bought Kombucha - Should have fermentation warning label)

*Should be left for several weeks relatively undisturbed.

Results:
After several weeks, Scoby "glumped up" with addition of makeup liquid. Opted to remove it as it was still of reasonable size.

Gel-like Scoby formed approx vert and horizontal length of container. Maybe 1/2 an inch to 1 inch in height. Noticeably heavier wet. Use both hands for lifting.

If partially dried and rewetted slime-like product resulted, both the toy and Scoby being made of polysacharides. May have use as a (safer?) version of the popular toy. Unknown longevity.

Tore slightly in transferring. Best bet is to quickly get it onto some kind of frame for drying.

Window screen would likely work better for removing the Scoby. Another idea is to use a funnel and tubing if new liquid is to be added.

Test 2
⦁    1 Gallon Rainwater
⦁    2 Teabags
⦁    1.5 Cup Sugar
⦁    Starter Culture(left over liquid from last batch)

With the second test want to see if rainwater can be used instead of Distilled Water. Upped the Sugar content as well in hopes of faster production.

 

Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha

http://www.blog.rawfinerystudio.com/blog/three-new-organic-forms-of-vegan-leather/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds8ZFzOwGeI

 

 

So yeah this is what I've been up to. Been seeing Vegan Leather randomly pop up online and wanted to give it a go myself. Basically brew a pot of cheap tea and introduce a starter culture. What could be easier?

Thought Emporium's Video really helped, proving that a starter Scoby wasn't necessary and that water proofing was possible. On the individual scale it is an easy make-it-and-forget-it project. Took maybe 3-4 weeks. Supposed to wait for 6 weeks, but trying to add makeup fluid really did a number.

Right now letting it dry. Want to do some basic tests of the resulting material. Mostly just want to get familiar working with it. Like the idea of cheap potentially mammoth sized pieces of "leather", but more novel uses work for me too

[Endy0816]

Much better overall results  this time.

Thinner sheet resulted still about the same dimensions 13" x 19". Rain waterseems to make a good substitute. Believe would develop further had I left it for longer.

Washed it in soapy water and dried it on parchment paper(same day drying!). Could be thicker but I like how it turned out.

I think too much sugar was left on the last one as it remains tacky to the touch. Something akin to a sugary fruit rollup. With a bit of research washing and parchment paper emerged as potential solutions.

 

This one feels something like tissue paper but has a certain strength to it. Non tacky and doesn't stick to itself like the last one did. Definitely more along the lines of what I was going for. 

 

Test 3

No changes or additions. Just going to let it be for a couple of weeks and see if another sheet develops.

 

At aome point want to test substitutes for the tea leaves. Seen other leaves used in vinegar production so seems possible. Hoping the sugar can end up being the only expense.

Edited September 19, 2018 by Endy0816