Looking to nature for design solutions, Suzanne Lee grows her own “biocouture”. Using vats of green tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast; fibers are coaxed from this microbial soup. These coalescing thin, wet sheets of bacterial cellulose are then molded into shape.
Overlapping edges “felt” together as the sheets dry out to become fused seams when dried. The fibers develop a tight-knit papyrus-like surface that can be bleached or stained with fruit and vegetable dyes like turmeric, indigo and beetroot.
To experiment with your own Kombucha culture; pour a bottle of organic raw Kombucha and sweetened tea into a glass jar. Cover it with a towel and let it sit. In time a thin film will appear. which will start to thicken up, enabling you to start your exploration.
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