Bactory

Sheep’s wool is a natural resource that is becoming increasingly less important in Europe. The global market is dominated by countries such as Australia and New Zealand, where wool and meat can be produced much more cheaply thanks to huge flocks of up to 10,000 animals. In Europe, the UK is one of the largest producers with around 35 million sheep. Germany, on the other hand, is seeing a decline in sheep farmers. There are many reasons for this: falling income from the sale of sheep products, the loss of grazing land and a lack of young sheep farmers are making the profession economically unattractive. At the same time, interest in regional, organically produced products is steadily increasing. The natural free-range farming of sheep in particular – as an alternative to the often problematic factory farming of pigs and cattle – is meeting with social approval. Nevertheless, a large proportion of the raw wool produced in Germany is either exported cheaply or has to be treated as waste that is difficult to dispose of. The cost of shearing a sheep is around 2 to 5 euros per animal, while raw wool can only be sold for 15 to 30 cents per kilo. Yet sheep’s wool has great qualities as a material: it is temperature-regulating, moisture-regulating (hygroscopic), flame-retardant, antibacterial and completely biodegradable – unlike many synthetic fibres. This is where the project „Factory“ comes in, experimentally developing new applications for this underestimated resource. The core of the work is the combination of sheep’s wool with the microbial process of biomineralisation – a natural process in which microorganisms shape and solidify materials.

The bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii was used in this project. It converts urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide, creating an alkaline environment that favours the precipitation of calcium carbonate (lime) – provided that calcium is present. In our experiment, raw wool was specifically treated with these bacteria. Lime crystals were deposited on the wool fibres and hardened the material in a natural way. The result of this material-based design process is a prototype: a stool that demonstrates how biomineralised sheep’s wool can be used as a new, sustainable material. The bacterial process takes place via liquid, which allows different strengths to be generated – depending on the desired application. The underlying concept of the ‘Bactory’ is a production platform that can be produced regionally and scaled modularly. The aim is to fully process locally sourced raw wool on site: from cleaning and carding to shaping through mechanical dry felting and biomineralisation. The aim is to create a continuous, regional material cycle. The ‘Bactory’ is intended as a B2B concept: the production process developed can be adapted to various applications – from construction to product design. The technical feasibility was complemented by the design of a synergy network of local companies based on an efficient circular economy and the responsible use of natural resources. The example of the ‘Bactory’ is intended to show how design, biotechnology and circular thinking could lead to innovative solutions for a more sustainable future.