Did you know that 116 million tons of dairy products are wasted globally, with about half lost before even reaching the store? Since milk is known for its short shelf life, it is regularly thrown out. However, transforming spoiled milk into clothing is one possibility that no one could have imagined. 

The LA-based startup, Mi Terro, did just that by using their very own patented biotechnology to actively re-engineer parts of food waste into sustainable fibers, creating the very first milk-made t-shirt, who would have known? Mi Terro’s technology is not only exclusively being used in creating milk fibers; they also have dabbled in creating 100% plant-based packaging films.

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Using their self-developed innovation, ‘Protein Activation’ and ‘Self-Assembly Purification’ to extract and purify the casein protein from the spoiled milk bacteria, which is used as the main base of their Limitless Milk Tee. Not to mention that this process is said to use 60% less water than a normal cotton shirt.

The last step is to spin the casein protein into fibers that form into a yarn. After, the milk yarn is mixed with Micromodal, another natural fiber made from beechwood. (Beechwood leaves uses about 20% less water than cotton manufacturing).

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