It takes about two months of processing, with a mechanism of altering hot-cold temperatures, treatments and spinning but, in the end, the milk processing waste is transformed into a fiber; and then, again, into a fabric. It is certainly not a state-of-the-art technique, considering how it was developed for the first time and patented in the 1930s by the engineer Antonio Ferretti. Yet today, with the habit of fast fashion, it sounds almost like something innovative. From the production waste of a glass of milk it is possible to sew up to five shirts: this is what Elena Prestigiovanni does, among other things, which has made this second raw material and sustainable fashion made in Italy resource the essence of her startup based in Parma. The latter was born in 2019 with the registration of the Good Sustainable Mood brand and at the end of 2022 it won the Giovani Imprese Emilia-Romagna di Confartigianato award, aimed at enhancing a business culture and a circular economy. In addition to milk fiber, which unlike the 50 liters of water essential for the production of a kilo of cotton fiber requires only one liter of water, there are also other materials used, such as beech wood fiber, eucalyptus fiber, Pima organic cotton combined with kapok. The latter is extracted from the fruits of the homonymous spontaneous tree, which grows without having to be cultivated and, therefore, without fertilizers. Its fiber is six times lighter than that of cotton and the garments thus made are also recommended for those suffering from allergies. All these fabrics, in addition to being certified and guaranteed within the final products thanks to a blockchain-based system that allows traceability, retain all the properties: durability, thermoregulation and breathability are some characteristics of wood fiber. Milk fiber, on the other hand, appears beneficial and stimulating for circulation, antibacterial and sterile.
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