Usually when new material innovations are introduced, they are touted as a substitute for a conventional material—for instance, a faux leather. But rather than being a replacement for traditional textile fibers, Gozen’s Lunaform is going a step further with the goal of building a “new material reality,” explained the startup’s CEO Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki on the latest episode of Lenzing’s Blue Cast podcast.
Lunaform may have a cellulosic structure, but it does not resemble the plant-based cellulosic materials that designers are more used to working with, like TENCEL™ Lyocell, cotton or hemp. The creation of Lunaform leverages “BioCraft technology.” Using advanced fermentation, Gozen places microorganisms in 13-square-foot trays of water, and the living creatures create a lattice structure. The resulting bio-based jelly-like sheet is then dried and finished with dyes, embossing or prints. This process takes a mere seven days, compared to the much longer growing cycles for plant fibers.
Read more on Carved in Blue.
This article is one of a series on SJ Denim from Lenzing’s Carved in Blue denim blog. From conversations with the experts behind the mills that make some of the world’s most-wanted denim to the global brands bringing novel denim made with TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal to the market, Carved in Blue shares the stories of those whose roots run deep with denim. Visit www.carvedinblue.tencel.com.
