Arists Create A Home-Grown Biodegradable Mask From Bacteria – Design You Trust

Arists Create A Home-Grown Biodegradable Mask From Bacteria

Garrett Benisch and Elizabeth Bridges of Sum Studio have created a microbial cellulose face mask that you can actually… grow in your own kitchen.

More: Vimeo h/t: boredpanda

Garrett Benisch and Elizabeth Bridges have designed a prototype for an alternative to the N95 mask, which has a polymer-based filter made of artificial nonwoven plastic fibers—the key materials that are the main culprits of the shortage of PPE. The mask that Sum Studio has created offers a more sustainable approach to personal protective equipment.

Called a “xylinum mask,” the newly-designed mask is made out of bacterial cellulose, a by-product of a common bacteria called xylinum acetobacter. Designers Garrett and Elizabeth say that you can actually grow the bacteria with a few simple ingredients at your own house. What you’ll need is water, tea, sugar, and a small bacterial sample of xylinum acetobacter, which can be found in unflavored kombucha.

“The prototype mask and the science referenced is coupled together to show that biodesign has real potential for rapid innovation and impact,” said Garrett, one of the designers. With that being said, while a mask made from biomaterials sounds exciting, at this point, it’s only speculative and hasn’t been tested yet.

Bacterial cellulose is created by the bacteria called xylinum acetobacter on the surface of a liquid that they inhabit. As they multiply, these bacteria knit cellulose fibers into a single membrane that can be later harvested and dried to use as a material. While the cellulose is see-through to us, microscopic images show the tight web of cellulose fibers that make up this amazing knit.

As soon as the material becomes thick enough, it can be removed to be hung and dried. The resulting sheet is as flexible as it is strong, while still easily degrading into the environment. It can be later waterproofed or oiled to provide the softness and strength of thin leather. The whole process takes up around two weeks.

What makes the idea of cellulose face masks so exciting is its availability. The material for it could be grown in people’s homes, local communities, or even in the hospitals themselves that need them.

Instead of petroleum plastic masks that don’t degrade in our environment for many years, these cellulose masks would decompose as easily as vegetables or fruit. By bringing this project forward, the designers Garrett and Elizabeth are hoping to bring attention to the possible use of biodesign, which can provide sustainable solutions to many modern problems.


If you want more awesome content, subscribe to 'Oh, Design You Trust,' our brand new Facebook page! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

More Inspiring Stories

Hundreds Of Museums Around the World Are Sending Each Other Bouquets Of Art Historical Flowers To Spread Love In A Dark Time
Tiger-Stone: A Fast and Tidy Drafting Brick Road Machine
Facebook's New Headquarters in Menlo Park, CA
Artist Meticulously Crochets Wire To Create Anatomically Correct Heart
People Of Bell Labs In The 1960s
Japan's Ultra Luxurious Shiki-Shima Train
Motor Coach and Yacht! Terra Wind's Luxurious Amphibious Vehicle
A Broken Vintage Piano Turned Into A Unique Analog Hybrid Of 20 Instruments Connected To The Piano Keys
Stay Safe & Keep On Dancing: The Dutch National Ballet And G-Star Present Safe Distance Ballet
Ancient Chinese Artists Give Advice On How Not To Get Infected With Coronavirus
Incredible Photos Of Two Roman Ships Which Were Recovered After 2,000 Years In 1929 And Lost Again During WWII
Colorado Dedicates $8M for Medical Marijuana Research to Understand Benefits
The Personalized Datsun: 1976 280-Z Brochure
Pokemon Go Craze In South Korea
This Solar-Powered Ecocapsule Lets You Live Off-The-Grid Anywhere In The World
Electroluminescent Tree by Ian Hobson
Famous Paintings And Historical Figures Recreated Using Artificial Intelligence
E-Ink Powered Watches
This Is What Can Happen When You Don't Use Your Computer For A Month
This 1958's General Motors Firebird III Looks Like A Future Spaceship
Solar-powered Sustainer Homes Give You The Freedom To Live Anywhere
Innovative Bike Doubles As Washing Machine To Clean Your Clothes As You Exercise
Inside Amazon's Very Hot Warehouse
Computer Love: The Ultimate Guide To Computing