About this Event
Join this hands-on workshop exploring microbial leather - a sustainable biomaterial grown from kombucha cultures.
Using a living symbiosis of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY), participants will learn how bacterial cellulose can be grown into flexible, leather-like sheets with potential applications in textiles, fashion, and biodegradable material design.
The SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is best known for its role in transforming sweetened tea into kombucha, a fermentation practice dating back thousands of years. Today, this living culture is being rediscovered as a versatile biomaterial, used by artists, designers, and researchers to create sustainable textiles, experimental fashion, sculptural works, and biodegradable material alternatives.
No prior experience with biology or fermentation is needed.
What to expect
During the workshop you will:
- Learn how kombucha cultures produce bacterial cellulose
- Explore how this material can become a plastic and leather alternative
- Handle and examine finished microbial cellulose samples
- Learn how to prepare your own growing culture
- Learn how to harvest, dry, and process the material
- Discuss real-world applications in sustainable design
What you will take home
Each participant will receive a personal kombucha starter kit including:
- A live SCOBY (kombucha culture)
- Starter liquid
- Growing jar
You’ll leave with everything you need to continue growing your own microbial material at home.
Who is this for?
This workshop is perfect for:
- Designers and textile practitioners
- Artists and makers
- Sustainability enthusiasts
- Students and researchers
- Anyone interested in bio-materials and circular design
Accessibility / Requirements
- No previous experience required
- Suitable for beginners
- Please wear comfortable clothes suitable for a hands-on session
Meet your instructors
Weronika Turowska is a biodesigner and material researcher interested in regenerative design principles, innovation, and environmental, cultural storytelling. At Blunik Studio, Weronika experiments with living and circular materials, often drawing from biological processes, craft traditions, and waste streams. Her work seeks to create objects and systems that not only reduce environmental impact but also spark new narratives about our relationship with matter, microbes, and making.
She has led workshops exploring biodesign and sensory engagement with science, and her work has been exhibited internationally at the New European Bauhaus in Brussels, London Design Festival, Biofabricate, and Lethaby Gallery.
https://www.blunikstudio.com/portfolio-2 https://www.instagram.com/blunikstudio/
Kirsten Tingle is a biodesigner and artist specialising in mycelium fabrication and regenerative painting. She teaches mycelium workshops with Lifefabs in Camden, and frequently guest lectures on Biodesign practice across London. Her paintings have been exhibited in The Chan Gallery in LA; Pioneer Works, Vent, Chashama, and Phyliss Harriman Gallery in NYC; Biocalibrate Symposia, Broadworks, The Lethaby Gallery, and Safehouse in London; The Guidecca Satellite in Venice, Italy; The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland; and The Kyoto Arts Center in Japan.
https://www.instagram.com/kirstentingle
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Four Otter Craft Studio, River Park Road, London, United Kingdom
GBP 25.00 to GBP 30.00
