Environment
Thread that contains the part of a potato plant that is normally thrown away could be a sustainable alternative to pure cotton
By Madeleine Cuff
Potato fibres can be made into soft balls that resemble cotton
Fibe
Fabric made from waste potato plants could offer a more sustainable alternative to pure cotton, as pressure grows on the fashion industry to reduce its environmental impact.
Potatoes pose a headache for farmers. The tubers are harvested and eaten, but the above-ground plant contains the poison solanine, so can’t be used for animal feed. Farmers usually pulverise or incinerate this matter before potatoes are harvested.
Now, UK start-up Fibe wants to avoid this by extracting fibres from potato stems to make a sustainable fabric. In April, it…
Article amended on 2 September 2024
This article has been changed to correct why the above-ground plant is not currently used and how Fibe extracts fibres from potato plants.
Article amended on 30 August 2024
This article has been changed to correct the prize money Fibe received from Fashion District.
English