The brand QMILK was born in Domaske's home. She was looking for unchemically treated clothes for her stepfather, who has cancer and is allergic to traditional fabrics. Then she discovered that milk protein had been processed into textiles in the 1930s. However, the initial method involves chemicals and requires complex steps. As Domaske explains: "I found an ancient process, but a lot of chemicals were used to make these fibers. I think milk is natural and should stay that way. That's how we came up with the idea."
Inspired by this, Domaske spent about 200 euros to set up a simple laboratory in his kitchen. After two years of experimentation, she came up with her winning proposal: an organic polymer free of solvents, plasticizers and other chemicals. Today, QMilk is a group of companies dedicated to the production and development of biopolymers based on milk proteins and raw materials.
Basically, QMilk is a textile made from milk that is no longer suitable for consumption or trade as food. It is a patented, specially designed spinning process that processes natural fibers with minimal footprint. In addition, it is made from 100 percent renewable resources and is an all-natural product. For example, it takes only 1 hour and 2 litres of water to produce 1kg of QMilk fabric. It takes very little resources and energy to produce, wastes almost nothing and emits very little carbon dioxide. Other than that, everything is locally produced, and after a few weeks, the textiles are fully biodegradable in compost.
Sustainability begins with the recycling of raw materials: raw, first calving milk, or milk that has gone sour. In Germany alone, more than 2 million tons of milk are disposed of each year, the University of Berlin notes. In addition, the company's approach focuses on ethics and transparency throughout the process and supply chain, from the raising of cattle to the manufacture of products.
On the other hand, natural fibers also have thermal bonding properties, which means they can be bonded to other yarns without the use of plastics or phenolic resins. As a result, the lightweight material mixture remains natural. Any kind of wool (such as alpaca or Merino wool), rayon, cotton, or cellulose or synthetic fibers are suitable for this process.
For users, QMilk fabric is skin-friendly. This product is suitable for sensitive skin people who suffer from skin allergies or have reactions to cotton, synthetic fibers, dyes, glues, tanning agents (the main agents used in pre-processing of leather), chemical additives and formaldehyde finishing resins (commonly used in clothing production). The main reasons behind this are antibacterial properties and the fact that the fiber contains no chemicals, which makes it possible for it to be certified in dermatology. In addition, the fabric can soothe the skin of people undergoing chemotherapy or other similar treatments. And, contrary to what some might think, those who are lactose intolerant can wear the material because the protein fiber is lactose free.
When it comes to the clothing line made from QMilk, the clothes are comfortable, soft, smooth and silky. The company claims it has anti-aging properties; Amino acids in casein fibers help regulate blood circulation and body temperature; It absorbs water easily and is flame retardant. These clothes are said to be low-maintenance, machine-washable and dry twice as fast as cotton.
baking
This one sounds like a recipe, but it's not. Starting with the non-edible milk mentioned, the casein (the solid white substance on the surface of the yogurt) is separated from the rest. It is then allowed to dry to obtain a kind of flour. Next, mix the powder with water and knead to form a dough. Finally, the machine "spins" the casein dough into hair-thin fibers.
Anke Domaske puts it more clearly: "When the milk turns sour, whey separates from the white sheet, which is the protein of the milk. When you get rid of the whey, you're left with cottage cheese. It is then dried to obtain protein powder. The powder is then fed into a machine that works like a noodle-making machine. Everything is mixed into a dough. Finally, the nozzle has such tiny holes that you can receive fine textile fibers instead of noodles."
As the milk turns sour, casein is separated from the whey. It is then dried, mixed with water, kneaded and "spun" into fibers
Astonishingly, Anke Domaske claims that it takes nearly six litres of yoghurt to make a single garment. By comparison, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that it takes 2,700 litres of cotton to produce a single T-shirt. This proves that QMilk has great potential in terms of sustainability and will be a viable answer for future clothing production.
After realizing the production of garments made from QMilk fiber through her own fashion line "Miss Chi Chi", Domaske focused all her efforts on perfecting the products and supplying them to other fields, such as the automotive industry or medicine. "We also developed a technical fiber. We have paper products on the market in the form of wet wipes and paper towels. In addition, we produce felt by thermal bonding. Many things are made from these textile fibers. All of these are potential applications for us, "declares the microbiologist/designer.
As she said earlier, toilet paper, wipes and sinews represent a good milk application because the material contains no chemicals or silver. It also dissolves when it comes into contact with water, so they can be treated by washing without affecting the sewage system.
Finally, QMilk has a line of natural products cosmetics that contain natural peptides. The brand's creams, oils and serums contain no alcohol or glycerin. These help protect and regulate skin processes, especially with sensitive skin types in mind.
The future is wide open for QMilk, as innovative inventions in non-food milk fibres continue to surprise its creators and the public. Perhaps this is the key to sustainable production in many industries.
source:https://www.tnc.com.cn/info/c-001001-d-3719602.html