Here’s a new way to appreciate leftover food on your plate: food waste is being used in different ways to create fibres for fashion production. This is a productive way to deal with the excessive demand that is placed on synthetic fibres and is much better for the planet. Here are some exciting and unique food waste ideas.
Citrus Chic
Italian designers Adriana Santanocito and Enrica Arena were shocked to discover that in Sicily 700,000 tons of waste are created from orange leftovers after the juice-making process. So they thought it would be a good idea to use these leftovers in fashion. After pressing oranges, orange fibres that would have been discarded have their cellulose taken out instead. This Orange Fibre yarn is silky smooth and can be used in textiles. What’s so great about this is that cellulose is also found in other fruits and vegetable waste, which means a lot of produce can be used in the fashion industry.
Food Waste Dyes
You can make organic fabric dyes from food waste, as designer Cara Marie Piazza has found. She uses a variety of food waste -onion skins, avocado peels, carrots, fennels and coffee grounds, to mention a few. First, an organic chemical is used to fasten the stain created from food waste to the fabric, then the dyes are applied. This brings natural colour to textiles and makes a piece highly original. It also means less use of chemical dyes which can cause health problems.
Fruity Leather
The idea of making leather from fruit is a fascinating one and it could have the potential to help the planet in the big way by replacing the demand for animal leather. Dutch students have found a way to make leather from fruit in what they call The Fruit Leather Rotterdam project. There are approximately 3,500 kg of fresh produce that goes to waste in the city of Rotterdam on a daily basis. By processing the fruity leftovers, a leathery-like substance is produced. The team states that it can be used to make bags as well as other items.
Scent-sational Sportswear
The use of synthetic materials in sportswear can cause it to smell when you sweat. This is because tiny holes that are made in the material collect sweat from your body while you’re working hard at the gym. Bacteria can form in these holes, resulting in bad odours. A company called Singtex has found a solution to this problem with their S. Café Technology. By recycling coffee grounds and using them in the fibres, sportswear will smell fresh and clean. This can also lengthen the lifespan of your workout gear, making it much more sustainable.
Image credit: Porechenskaya / Dollar Photo Club
