Producing bacterial nanocellulose, a new material obtained from biological processes, in other words, eco-sustainable, and with various uses. After years of research, Knowledge for Business, the startup born in Città della Scienza, is ready to invest 1.2 million in the construction of a plant to produce bacterial nanocellulose and in a research project dedicated to the possible applications of the material in the healthcare sector.
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The central point of the project is the construction, in Campania, in the industrial area of Casandrino, of the first Italian plant for the production of bacterial nanocellulose. The production will be destined for the textile sector and will represent the first industrial experience of this type in Europe applied to the sector. The currently existing European plants for the production of nanocellulose are in fact destined for the medical field.
The material is produced using bacteria belonging to the acetobacter family and, thanks to proprietary processes developed and tested by Knowledge for Business, it has tactile, visual, resistance, and workability characteristics similar to those of animal skin. The goal is to offer the fashion system a sustainable and low environmental impact alternative to eco-leathers and synthetic leathers, initially targeting the excellence segments of the sector. An experiment in recent years, carried out in the Knowledge for Business laboratories, concerns the collaboration with the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, which used the biocellulose produced by the company to create part of the stage costumes for Salomè
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«With this investment, we are making the transition from experimentation to industrial production of a material on which we have been working for some time and which can find application in very different sectors – says Massimo Bracale, Development and Innovation Director of KforB –. The most significant aspect is that the company will directly invest in the construction of the production plant, the first in Italy for the production of bacterial nanocellulose and the first in Europe for its application in the textile sector. We want to provide the fashion system with an innovative material, obtained through biological processes and capable of combining quality, workability, and environmental sustainability».
The industrial component is accompanied by a research project aimed at using bacterial nanocellulose in the healthcare sector, particularly for the production of dressings and bandages. The hygrometric characteristics of the material make it possible to use it in the treatment of wounds caused by burns and pressure sores.
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