A team led by Penn State researchers has developed a groundbreaking method to transform leftover yeast from brewing and pharmaceutical processes into biodegradable, high-performance fibers, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional textiles and freeing up resources for food production.
Researchers led by Penn State have discovered an innovative way to transform leftover yeast from brewing beer, wine, and pharmaceutical production into high-performance fibers. This breakthrough could address major global challenges such as world hunger and the environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry.
By repurposing yeast biomass, which is typically considered waste, the researchers have created fibers that are stronger than natural alternatives and significantly less detrimental to the environment.
“Just as hunter-gatherers domesticated sheep for wool 11,000 years ago, we’re domesticating yeast for a fiber that could shift the agricultural lens to focus far more resources to food crops,” lead author Melik Demirel, the Pearce Professor of Engineering and Huck Chair in Biomimetic Materials at Penn State, said in a news release.
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Nov. 3, the study highlights how the team achieved pilot-scale production of the fiber. By producing more than 1,000 pounds of fiber in a factory in Germany, they demonstrated that this could be scaled up for commercial production.
The researchers also conducted a lifecycle assessment, analyzing the fiber’s total environmental and economic impacts from production to disposal.
The findings suggest that commercial-scale production of these fermentation-based fibers could outcompete traditional fibers like wool by using fewer resources. The cost per kilogram of this fiber is approximately $6, which is less than the $10-$12 per kilogram cost of wool. Moreover, it requires significantly less water and land, and generates minimal greenhouse gas emissions.
“We successfully demonstrated that this material can be made cheaply — for $6 or less per kilogram, which is about 2.2 pounds, compared to wool’s $10 to $12 per kilogram — with significantly less water and land but improved performance compared to any other natural or processed fibers, while also nearly eliminating greenhouse gas emissions,” added Demirel. “The saved resources could be applied elsewhere, like repurposing land to grow food crops.”
The potential impact of this innovation extends beyond the fashion industry. By reducing the need for agricultural land dedicated to fiber crops, more land could be used for food production.
“Imagine if instead of growing cotton, that land, water, resources and energy could be used to produce crops that could feed people,” Demirel added.
This shift could aid in addressing global food insecurity, a pressing issue. In 2024, 733 million people faced food insecurity.
The fiber creation process is inspired by naturally occurring protein accumulations and involves dissolving the yeast-derived proteins in a solution, then spinning it into fibers. These fibers are biodegradable, addressing the significant problem of polyester waste in landfills.
This research has laid the groundwork for a significant shift in textile manufacturing.
“By leveraging biomanufacturing, we can produce sustainable, high-performance fibers that do not compete with food crops for land, water or nutrients,” Demirel added. “Adopting biomanufacturing-based protein fibers would mark a significant advancement towards a future where fiber needs are fulfilled without compromising the planet’s capacity to nourish its growing population. We can make significant strides towards achieving the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal, ensuring everyone can access nutritious food while promoting sustainable development goals.”
Demirel is optimistic about bringing these fibers to the mass market, with further investigations planned for scaling up production.