Kombucha is made with SCOBY – a mix of bacteria and yeast. It looks like a floating film in the drink. It is a very versatile material. It can grow rapidly in vats when fed sugar. With tea or coffee, which contains nitrogen, the growth is stimulated.
This mix can create cellulose from bacteria. This cellulose is up to ten times stronger than regular cellulose. As such, it is very widely used in making textile.
Environmental benefits make it less resource-intensive than cotton, especially if it is made from food waste. The product is also naturally antibacterial and biodegradable. Questions remain as to whether the production process can be scaled at reasonable cost.