CRI听力:Milk Clothing

When 28-year-old German designer Anke Domaske set out to create a new kind of textile, her aim was to make a fabric that would be sustainable in the long term and soothing to the skin for people suffering from allergies.

That it has moisturizing qualities, drapes and folds like silk, but can be washed and dried like cotton only makes it better.
Domaske, who is also a biochemist, developed the textile called "Qmilch." So far, she has used it only to make dresses for her own MCC fashion line. But next year, Domaske plans to begin mass producing the threads that are made entirely from milk that would otherwise be poured down the drain.

The quest for a natural, non-irritating fabric originally drove Domaske to explore the use of milk protein or casein.

Although textiles made from milk fibers have been around since the 1930s, Domaske says most of them rely heavily on acrylics that remain in the fibers despite intense washing - a process that wastes water.

"We only used natural raw materials-no chemicals. This is special. And the entire process to produce the fiber takes only one hour and a maximum of two liters of water. At the moment, it is difficult for people with allergies to find the right cloth as most of the products are made with pesticides. Our product is a pure organic product, and that's why I hope it will help people with allergies to feel comfortable."

After two years of trial and error, Domaske and her six-person lab team finally found a complex process to reduce milk. They use only organic milk that cannot be consumed because it has failed to meet Germany's strict quality standards.
From that, they produce a protein powder that is then boiled and pressed into strands which can be woven into a fabric.

Domaske says the strands can be spun rougher for a heavier texture, or shiny smooth to create a soft jersey that drapes and feels like silk.

"A textile fiber needs to be washable and ironable. It was a challenge for us to find the right consistency. During the production process, the fiber needs to be smooth like silk. But when we had it smooth, then it wasn't water resistant anymore, and when it was water resistant then it wasn't smooth anymore. It was a real challenge for us."

Domaske concedes that at 28 U.S. dollars per kilogram, her fabric costs more than organic cotton to produce. But she hopes that one day it can be manufactured locally to significantly reduce transportation costs.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.