Meet Aurora Milton: Innovating Sustainable Textiles with SCOBYs
Meet Aurora Milton, a first-year student at Northeastern University pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies with a Material Science and Engineering minor.
Aurora showed a deep love for creativity and the arts from a young age. She picked up sewing at just seven years old, and her early experiences with crafting and design laid the foundation for what would later become a strong passion for sustainable design. However, it wasn't until the pandemic that Aurora's interest in upcycling and sustainability took shape. With more time to explore her creative interests, she began researching fashion's environmental and ethical aspects. "I -Aurora- learned about the benefits of repurposing clothing and did a deep dive into the impacts of the fast fashion industry," she explains.
Aurora began looking into sustainable alternatives and learned about the environmental and social consequences of fast fashion. She became determined to create an alternative textile that was both innovative and environmentally friendly. Her senior year of high school provided the perfect opportunity through an "Extended Learning Opportunity," a program that allowed her to have class time every day to dive into a "passion project." Committed to discovering a sustainable textile alternative, Aurora found her solution in SCOBYs—Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast—best known as the microorganism responsible for brewing kombucha and aiding fermentation.
Aurora's journey to create a suitable biotextile wasn't without challenges. She initially experimented with mango-based textiles but found that the process required dehydrating mango puree for 19 hours, making it incredibly impractical and time-consuming. Aurora also experimented with mycelium, a fungal root grain, before discovering the potential of SCOBYs. SCOBYs are bacterial cellulose grown with black tea, sugar, and a kombucha starter. As the fermentation process takes place, the bacteria and yeast work together to metabolize the sugars and produce cellulose fibers, which gradually accumulate and form a gel-like structure on top of the liquid. Over time, this structure thickens into a pellicle, a dense, skin-like layer. Once fully grown, the pellicle can be harvested and dried, transforming into a flexible, durable sheet with a texture similar to traditional leather. While conventional leather devastates animals and the environment, SCOBY leather offers a cruelty-free and environmentally friendly alternative.
Additionally, because the bacterial cellulose continuously regenerates as long as it is provided with nutrients, it is an endless source of renewable resources. SCOBY leather is entirely biodegradable, compostable, and free from toxic chemicals typically used in tanning processes. "If you start with one SCOBY and keep it well fed, it can turn into three more. SCOBYs" Aurora has crafted stylish pocket wallets using this eco-friendly leather alternative, as showcased below.
@auroraslowfashion When asked how SCOBY leather compares to traditional leather, Aurora replied, "In its current form, it falls short compared to traditional leather in terms of waterproofing and textile strength, but it has other advantages such as biodegradability and regeneration. This is a growing industry, and many brands are selling and improving products made from biomaterials." Some of these brands include TômTex, founded by Vietnamese designer Uyen Tran, which creates bio-based vegan leather from seafood shell waste and mushrooms. AMsilk is also a supplier of synthetic silk biopolymers. Their Biosteel Fiber, made from recombinant spider silk, has been used by companies like Adidas to create biodegradable running shoes. Other sustainable leather alternatives include Piñatex, a leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fibers, and coconut-based leather alternatives created from bacterial cellulose that grows on coconut water waste.
@TomTex @adidasAdditionally, we spoke with Aurora about her thoughts on the sustainable fashion movement and how she educates her followers about conscious consumerism. When asked how she raises awareness, she shared,
"What helped me understand the lack of sustainability was discovering shocking facts. If I come across a statistic that truly surprises me, my immediate reaction is, 'Oh my god, I need to share this." Aurora also advocates for secondhand purchases. "When buying slow fashion, it can be hard to decipher what is truly sustainable and what is just greenwashing. While some brands claim to be more sustainable than others, nothing is more sustainable than buying secondhand and thrifting."
Aurora often channels her love for sewing by thrift flipping and upcycling in her free time. Beyond her SCOBY wallets, some of her creations include one-of-a-kind denim bags and patchwork tanks. From deconstructed t-shirts to upcycled skirts, Aurora showcases the unlimited potential of discarded material on her instagram account @aurora_slowfashion. Aurora is focused on sharing her creations and spreading awareness but hopes to create a brand once her products are marketable!
@auroraslowfashion