Finally, An Authentic 'Tea-Shirt'

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Photo Credit: Imperial College

Coming soon to a store near you - A t-shirt made from 'tea' - And we are not talking something simply dyed with the leaves, but an entirely new material made from the world's favorite drink!

Photo Credit: Imperial College

The amazing cloth is the result of a collaboration between Professor Freemont at London's Imperial College and fashion designer Suzanne Lee, who wished to invent a new green fabric for the fashion industry.

Image Credit: Imperial College

To manufacture the material, green tea, sugar and a number of nutrients are first mixed together to make a soup-like concoction. Bacteria are slowly added to this mixture over the course of few days. As it blends in, it helps create clumps of cellulose that rise to the surface. These are removed and spun into a fabric that is extremely lightweight but has a texture that resembles leather.

Photo Credit: Imperial College

Suzanne who has used the fabric to make a range of clothes ranging from shirts to dresses and even shoes, is tweaking the manufacturing process a little more, after which she hopes to introduce it to the mainstream market.

Sources: telegraph.co.uk,vouchercodes.co.uk, mircrobeworld.org, inewide.com

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103 Comments
  • spongebobover 9 years
    id just open lots of tea bags pour them into a jug and then go out side in my togs and pour all of them onto me ta da the best way to make tea clothing.
    • georgiaherrellover 9 years
      i wonder how that put the tea leaves to create the jacket and is at actually comfortable to were is it the same thickness as a material made jacket????????
      • lily-kateover 9 years
        I didnt know that you can make clothing out of tea!!!
        • Abbyover 9 years
          I love that jacket! :)
          • bibliophile
            bibliophileover 9 years
            Whoa a tea-shirt made out of tee(tea), get it since it;s called tee-shirt... :D
            • sassy catalmost 10 years
              wow i am going to do that
              • cz
                czalmost 10 years
                lol
                • emis
                  emisalmost 10 years
                  Cool, but gross!
                  • FASHION GIRLabout 10 years
                    Awesome! Fabrics will be a lot cheaper so I will have more to sew with! ;)
                    • karan69
                      karan69about 10 years
                      Wow!