INTRO TO SCOBY FABRIC
To accompany “Emilie’s Suit: 1” I created an educational booklet that provides the modern biologist/ designer with a step-by-step guide on the process of growing and working with SCOBY Fabric. This zine, complete with a SCOBY fabric cover, materials list, visual guides, and a procedure breakdown, acts as an important tool for reflecting on not only ones relationship with the clothes they wear, but also the waste they produce from their own kitchens. My hope is that this DIY guide will revive a the lost practice of an inclusive, open source creative community that was once the norm for centuries of human history.
The cover of “Introduction to SCOBY Fabric”, SCOBY material scraps, thread beet dye, turmeric dye, handmade paper, pen. 2022
Intro
“As the 3rd largest industry in the world, apparel manufacturing is at the forefront of energy and consumption, human rights violations, and environmental destruction. The textile industry accounts for over 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions - on par with the entire transportation industry. Most consumers don’t know - or don’t want to think about - the water usage, harmful chemicals, exploited human labor, and environmental impact our clothing has when we can easily grab ready made pieces off the shelf. The average person today purchases 60% more clothing than just 15 years ago, while the lifespan of each item has decreased by about 50% leading to ⅗ of all clothing ending up in landfills, the environment, and eventually in our bodies in the form of micro-plastics. The industrialized world has grown accustomed to the convenience of a lifestyle of overconsumption, a behavior that our planet is not able to sustain, and one that takes a drastic disproportionate toll on women of color in the global south. Therefore, scientists, designers, and activists alike have been reconsidering ways to limit these harmful outputs and find alternatives to materials that often require unsustainable harvesting, production, and fabrication techniques while also fulfilling the need for durable, comfortable clothing. This booklet aims to explore the novel usage of a kombucha by product known as SCOBY which, under the right conditions, can be treated to replicate animal leather. We will examine the processes by which this unique textile is grown, harvested, and processed, as well as techniques to construct bio-leather in your very own home!”
What is a SCOBY?
“SCOBY is an acronym for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. Also called a “Mother,” it’s a living organism that humans have used to produce fermented foods and beverages such as kombucha, vinegar, and sourdough breads for 1000s of years. This fermentation process increases the concentration of probiotics, providing numerous health benefits for your gut, but most people don’t think about what to do with the SCOBY once their batch is done. Kombucha bio-fabric can be made by adding a mother to sweetened black tea, then letting it grow for several weeks. SCOBYs will grow into whatever shape they’re contained in, and usually only take 1-2 weeks to become fully established under the right conditions. Typically you’ll see them in small circular shapes as most people make kombucha at home in jars or cylindrical vessels, but for SCOBY fabric production they can be grown in larger rectangular tub. They can have a variety of appearances, but are generally pale in color, dense, rubbery, and opaque, before being dried to create a material that looks and behaves remarkably like leather.”
“To produce 1 approximately 45 x 80 cm sheet of bio leather you will need:
21 cups clean water - can use distilled - 5L
15 grams black tea (about 10 bags or 4 tablespoons)
1.5 cups white sugar - 300g
.5 L Starter (~ 3 cups unflavored store bought kombucha - this will adjust the ph of the of liquid to a level the SCOBY likes - I like GTS organic raw kombucha in original flavor)
Tightly woven cloth such as paper towels, cheese cloth, coffee filters etc. - to keep out bugs and dirt but still allow for some air exchange
Large plastic or glass vessel - I used 24 x 18 x 6 inch food grade plastic storage tubs
SCOBY mother (you can grow the fabric without the mother but will take longer)
1 X-acto blade
Rubber bands or tape
Dark, warm room ideally ~75ºF, but no more than 85 or less than 65
Flat surface for drying - I used old window screens to allow it to air dry faster
Coconut or mineral oil
Food grade beeswax (optional to make your SCOBY water resistant)
Set up
Clean tub and lid with alcohol or non-antibacterial soapy water
Cut small hole in lid with X-acto knife - enough to allow air to flow
Cover hole with cloth and tape edges down to prevent fruit flies and dust
Boil 5L cups water
Once boiled remove from heat and add sugar and tea
Leave out to cool completely to room temperature ~75-85 ºF (stick in the freezer or fridge for a few minutes if in a hurry)
Pour sweetened tea into clean tub and add store bought kombucha
With clean hands or gloves gently place 1 large or 2 small SCOBY into the tub
Place tub in warm, dark spot - ex. next to a heater set at a low level or on a heating pad on low and cover with a blanket/ towel etc.
Leave the tub to rest for ~2 weeks (the longer you leave the thicker the SCOBY will grow) and do not jostle or move around too much in the first week.”
Materials List & Set Up
Week 1&2-4
“Week 1
SCOBY growth will depend on multiple factors such as heat, light, and amount of liquid it is allowed to propagate in.
The first day SCOBY will sink to the bottom of the tub, but it should float to the top over a few days
In the first week you may see some jelly-like white patches starting to form on the surface
The white patches will begin to spread and join together to form a thin, translucent layer - this is the new SCOBY and the start of what will be your material!
Week 2-4
After 2-4 weeks the SCOBY can grow to a thickness of between 1-3cm and is ready to dry out - the thicker the SCOBY is allowed to grow the more sturdy and leathery the material will be, thinner SCOBY will be more delicate and similar to paper or thin plastic - approximately 2cm is ideal for fabric but this can take a while (approx. 3 weeks) - the SCOBY may feel similar to raw meat at this stage
If you notice bubbles starting to form under the SCOBY, massage them out so it can grow evenly
Once happy with the thickness and color remove the SCOBY from the tub and gently rinse with cold water”
Harvesting & Finishing
“Harvest
Lay the SCOBY on the drying screen and press with an old towel - leave in the sun or in front of a fan for faster drying but press down edges if they begin to curl up
Once the SCOBY feels slightly damp but not wet to the touch (almost like a fruit leather) after 1–2 days it can be woven together or dyed
Finishing
Once completely dried, the SCOBY may feel delicate and brittle - take a cloth or paper towel and spread the oil over the fabric - this will make it flexible and workable again (you may need to repeat this every few months if it begins to dry out)
The SCOBY’s natural color will dry to a soft brown, but can be dyed with various pigments - either natural or synthetic. Some of the most popular include, beet skins (red) Spirulina (green) Turmeric (yellow) Onion skins (pink) Indigo (blue) but feel free to experiment
Natural dyes (optional)
Beets - red
Spirulina, spinach - green
Turmeric - yellow
Onion skins - pink
Indigo - blue
To dye your SCOBY, boil your food scraps in enough water to fully submerge your material and let cool, Once your SCOBY had dried slightly, you can soak the SCOBY fabric for anywhere from 30 to 3 days depending on pigment strength desire.”
