Sneakers that self-dye and biodegrade

• The biology behind a self-dying bacterial cellulose shoe comes out of The Ellis Lab
• Vivobarefoot released a new shoe that is almost 100% natural

Issue 3

Self-dying fabrics could be closer than we think

The Ellis lab has continued their research to support the development of bacterial cellulose with Modern Synthesis. Their latest publication, in Nature Biotechnology, explores the potential of the bacterial strain Komagataeibacter rhae to produce bacterial cellulose that self-dyes.

The method harnessed the production of the melanin molecule responsible for a brown/black pigment, eumelanin. Production of eumelanin is reliant on the Tyrosinase (Tyr1) enzyme. The genetic material of K.rhae was engineered to integrate the tyr1 gene, resulting in the expression of eumelanin within the bacterial cellulose, which became pigmented over time from a pale yellow to a brown/black. To demonstrate the scalability of this model, the group created a wallet and shoe top from the pigmented bacterial cellulose.

The group attempted to further manipulate the eumelanin gene expression, the resulting pigmentation across the bacterial cellulose sample, through the use of light. This is known as optogenetic patterning, which in this case, could allow for the pigmentation of a logo or pattern to be transferred to the sample by light protection. Manipulation of the gene expression was done through the engineering of a light-sensitive RNA polymerase, the molecular printer which takes genetic materials ( i.e. the eumelanin gene) and initiates the process for it to become a protein. This process created a ‘switch’ which led to eumelanin production when exposed to blue light, demonstrating the possibility of optogenetic patterning to control pigmentation.

An almost(!) fully natural shoe from Vivobarefoot

Vivobarefoot has released their new sneaker The Gobi Sneaker Premium. This is the closest the company has gotten to a shoe made solely from natural materials. This design is a step forward from the rest of their range with 100% natural outsoles, made in collaboration with the material company NFW. This outsole comprises 66% rubber, 2% lignocellulosic and plant molecules, 12% mineral filler and 20% vegetable oils, aligning with the brand mission of a biodegradable shoe.

The shoe assembly includes the threading of the outsole to the body of the shoe, allowing for repairability as the user wears down the sole over time. This modular design invites a circular economy, whilst striving towards the goal of fully biodegradable footwear.