Currently, milk is used to create many wondrous products such as cheese, butter, and ice cream. Having experienced milk in these wondrous foods as well as countless other products, have you ever wondered if milk could be made into clothing? Well, thanks to Anke Domaske, there is now a business in Germany that specializes in turning milk into cloth. While Anke Domaske was a former student studying microbiology, her dad had cancer and struggled with sensitivity to normal fabrics. Domaske created a new, unique fabric. Qmilch is softer and less irritating to the skin than normal clothing. The Q stands for quality while the milch is German for milk.
How is Qmilch made? The key ingredient in Qmilch is the casein protein in milk. In order for it to get separated from the milk, they have to heat the milk. After they extract the protein, they combine it with other ingredients and spin it into a thread. Qmilch is biodegradable due to having no chemicals in its composition and can simply be disposed of in composters. The period at which it degrades is set depending on the recipe.
Qmilch is $28 per kilogram more expensive to make than other fabrics. What properties of Qmilch make it worth the additional cost? Qmilch is eco-friendly because it doesn’t use chemicals. It is made from organic milk that has gone sour, giving it a new purpose. The protein casein possesses antibacterial and anti-aging amino acids. Qmilch claims to be odorless, can be washed, dries twice as fast as cotton, helps regulate body temperature and blood circulation, and feels like silk. Along with those claims Qmilch uses only two liters of water per kg of fiber, has low energy consumption, is a short process to make, and is flame retardant.
Though it currently is rather costly, the creation of this alternative clothing possesses many advantages. First, it could greatly decrease the amount of wasted milk all around the world. Putting less milk into the trash will slow down the rate at which our landfills fill up. Secondly, it is biodegradable, so when you use it the environment won’t get impacted as much. Lastly, it may revolutionize the way that we make fabrics. Yes, it may cost quite a bit at first but the owner of Qmilch claimed that there were some companies considering buying them. If Qmilch gets bought by a bigger company their products will get reduced in price due to them having better equipment and support.