Abstract:
Interest for Eco-Friendly fashion products has increased significantly in recent years, as a result of a serious disturbance of the ecological balance due to harmful production processes. Tufts University scientists have come up with innovative solutions in the production of artificial leather. They have focused on a biomaterial with a long history – silk. The process of making leather-like materials from silk fibers involves the decomposition of silk fibroin protein polymers into individual protein components in a water-based mixture, the introduction of other biopolymers and natural additives and computer fabrication (3D printing technology) that allows layer programming and irregular geometric patterns. The resulting materials show strong, soft, flexible, durable and biodegradable features, comparable to traditional artificial leather materials.
