Cow Milk, as the basic material of synthetic fiber in fashion industry

We only use milk as a complement to the nutritional needs of many processed in the form of cheese, yoghurt, or even consumed in liquid form. Probably many friends who do not know that milk has been developed into the basic materials of environmentally friendly textiles and used in the world of fashion.

A designer as well as a microbiologist named Anke Domaske managed to convert the protein in cow's milk into synthetic fibers. Besides used for clothes, this fiber is very suitable for use in home textile, automotive industry and medical technology, and also offers advantages for thermal insulated seat cover or hygienic diaphragm.

^{The microbiology Anke Domaske in his laboratory, with fabrics and fibers made with discarded milk
Source : www.lanacion.com}

The fiber obtained from cow's milk is included in casein fibers. This type of fiber has actually been used in the clothing industry in America and Europe since the 1930s. Post-World War II, casein fibers are used for wool fiber substitutes and are known as environmentally friendly fibers. Casein fibers produced from cow's milk are processed using natural ingredients and some other chemical mixtures. Casein from milk protein is based on 18 of 22 known Proteinogenic amino acids and has very high levels of glutamine and calcium. About 20 percent, no other protein contains glutamine as much as casein.

How to make

• Casein from milk is obtained by precipitation by acids, rennet enzymes, and alcohols. In addition to the addition of acids, the deposition of casein can also be done with the addition of renin, a proteolytic enzyme obtained from the mother cow. Therefore, proteins can be coagulated (acidified) by acids formed in milk as a form of microbial activity.
• After casein is separated and dried, the powder is then mixed with other ingredients into dough and put into a metal container called spinneret and pressed through a small round hole to produce a very fine fiber. The fibers formed are then spun into yarn by yarn size determined by the number of holes in the spinneret machine. By using a weaving machine, these threads are ultimately processed into a soft, environmentally friendly fabric.

Additional benefits

Because the fiber has a smooth surface, the fabric made from it can naturally prevent skin irritation, making it attractive for clothing, but it can be more versatile than that.

In addition, its moisture management function prevents bacterial growth by up to 99 percent and encourages temperature regulation that can suppress allergens. Although not using additional antibacterial treatment, it has a natural antibacterial effect against E. coli and even Staphylococcus aureus.

Fabric made from casein can even be washed by machine and stable temperature up to 200 degrees Celsius and has passed the standard B2 endurance test and is resistant to UV rays.

^{Anka Domaske and clothing of casein fibers
Source : www.pri.org}

High-tech textiles are the material of the future and must adhere to high standards of sustainability. The most commonly used serum is a biodegradable fiber material from biopolymer. The scarcity of resources and the high demand for environmentally friendly products make cow's milk an alternative to the raw materials of the future textile industry.

Refference:

• https://www.qmilkfiber.eu/qmilk-faser-modische-anwendung
• https://www.pri.org/stories/2011-10-24/futurists-clothing-milk
• http://wool-f.com/how_to_spin_milk/
• http://www.dw.com/en/young-german-designer-turns-milk-into-clothing/a-15475699
• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-fashion-milk/german-fashion-designer-makes-clothes-from-milk-idUSTRE7953MG20111006

Best regards,

@milenia