Cotton-like, Nanocellulosic "Beer Dress" Formulated

According to a report this past week by Duurzaam Bedrijfsleven (The Netherlands), a dress made of beer instead of cotton is now drawing some attention from both scientists and those into fashion. A group called The Australian Nanollose designed the dress. It’s not blue, gold, or traditional synthetic rayon like most fibers sourced from the ingredients in wood. The company will present the extremely cotton-like Beer Dress this summer during the 2015 World Expo in Milan, Italy.

The Beer Dress is actually made of biomass. A special fermentation process with specific bacteria converts the beverage into 100% forest sourced nano microcrystalline cellulose fibers, which forms a stunning and naturally feeling fabric. According to a marketing representative for The Australian Nanollose startup, it in fact appears to be the same chemical composition to that of organic cotton. Despite the beer/fermentation staple, the dress does not stink...

The authors consider the dress not just as a novelty, but see a lot of potential in the beer textiles. The production process is more environmentally friendly than that of cotton, which has been struggling as a crop across the globe due to climate disruption, and if these anti-organic cotton conditions continue, the process can be easily scaled up. In addition, the fabric in any desired form may be evolved, which makes possible the production of seamless garments. "Nanocellulose has the potential to change the way we produce textiles and wear," states the company’s lead into their website.