As if fashion couldn’t get anymore capacious, Qmilk’s milk fiber fabric strutted onto the scene. Thanks to the founder, Anke Domaske, we’ve now been presented with a fresh, new vision into a unique type of renewable resource.

Wearable milk. Yes, this is an actual thing …at least according to German-based company, Qmilk. And I’m not talking about the milk you spilled on your shirt when you were dipping your cookies (tsk, tsk!). I’m talking about milk no longer healthy for human ingestion that is repurposed through a sustainable process that transforms it into fibers. That’s right folks, fibers from milk.

The idea behind Qmilk came to fruition when Domaske was looking for clothing that hadn’t been chemically altered for her stepfather who was ill with cancer. That’s when the thought of using milk proteins peaked her curiosity. Milk proteins had been toyed with before back in the 1930s, but like most things, had also crossed paths with undesirable chemicals. So Domaske set out to create her own natural alternative with just 200 euros (about $270) in a kitchen with supplies and appliances from a grocery store. Talk about starting from the ground up!

Think about how much milk gets pushed to the back of the fridge, completely forgotten about for a week or so, just sitting and curdling. The beginning stages of fashion happening right there in your very refrigerator. Unbelievable, right? In Germany alone, it’s estimated that 1.9 billion tons of milk gets tossed per year. Thankfully, Qmilk now exists to help efficiently extract certain properties from raw milk and give them a second life as milk fiber fabric.

The milk protein called casein is the main ingredient that goes through a metamorphosis to eventually emerge as a beautiful textile fiber that is just as soft as silk. With its cutting-edge technology and exclusive recipe, Qmilk has managed to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to cost and time efficiency. Only five minutes and two liters of water are needed to produce one kilogram of milk fiber! That also means fewer CO2 emissions, which we can all appreciate.

Qmilk also prides itself on being biodegradable, using 100 percent renewable resources, and having absolutely zero chemical additives. Along with all of those wonderful things, Qmilk conducts a series of thorough tests for harsh substances and dermatological tests to ensure it is gentle for the skin and body. Qmilk’s milk fiber fabric is naturally antibacterial so that makes it perfect to wear for anyone who has any sort of textile allergy! This company also cares where its raw spoiled milk comes from by taking into consideration the care and well being of the animals of the suppliers.

It doesn’t stop here! Qmilk is dipping its feet into the medical, home textile, and automotive worlds as well. It’s all about the lush interior luxury for automobiles and that awesome antibacterial quality for medical and home purposes. Qmilk has graciously paved a whole new road for the term “eco-friendly.” Although the beauty of science is behind this, let’s make believe that it is pure magic, because let’s be honest, Qmilk is pretty spectacular.

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Image via Qmilk

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 28-year-old Anke Domaske has developed her own fabric, called QMilch, made from high concentrations of the milk protein casein.

Introducing QMilch: a silky, man-made fiber produced entirely without chemicals. German fashion designer and microbiologist Anke Domaske developed the yarn that is made entirely from milk protein fibers and extracted from milk that did not meet hygiene standards. Yahoo News says “The milk fibres contain 18 amino-acids that are beneficial to health.”

The amino acids in the protein have actually been found to be antibacterial and anti-aging and can help regulate both blood circulation and body temperature. Good news for conscious shoppers looking for clothes that do double duty. With the health benefits and lack of traditional oil by-products, QMilch is 40% more expensive than organic cotton, with the cost of a dress retailing for about $199. But regardless of cost, the designer aims to start mass-producing the material next year.

“We have developed an all-natural fiber consisting of a very high concentration of casein, with a few other natural ingredients – and in only two years,” says Domaske, a former microbiology student.

Milk fibers themselves are nothing new and have been around since the ’30s in Italy and America to compete with wool. The fibers, known as ARALAC, Lanatil and Merinova, are all different brands from the same fiber manufactured from milk casein which, says textile importer Euroflax, “fell victim to their minor flaws and the war.”

QMilch yarns

According to Reuters, Domaske’s fashion label Mademoiselle Chi Chi, a favorite among the likes of Mischa Barton and Ashlee Simpson has now started weaving the milk fiber into its collection. MCC clothes are currently made from a combination of fibers, including QMilch, but Domaske plans to design a collection made entirely from the milk fiber.

“We know that everything that is based on oil has a limit, that materials like cotton that take up a lot of land, water, and chemicals are limited, so we need to think about how we produce fabrics and textiles in the future, the Textile Research Association tells Newser.

With better, perhaps even sexier branding, these fibers can flourish and make it out of labs and tech talk and into the mainstream.

Consumers will ultimately be the deciding factor.

Dresses made from Anke Domaske’s QMilch

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