Sustainable development of biodegradable buttons using nanofibre bacterial cellulose

Purpose The sustainability issue in clothing does not end with the fabrics, but it also extends to the other components of the garment, where buttons and fasteners are mostly non-biodegradable. This study aims to discuss the viability of bacterial cellulose (BC) as a biodegradable material for buttons and highlight an under-researched yet important issue. Design/methodology/approach The symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast was fermented to produce the BC sheets under three production conditions that differed in nutrient compositions, temperature and fermentation time. The dried sheets obtained were naturally conditioned and tested for their thickness and tensile strength. It was further converted into button prototypes to enable practical assessments. Findings The findings show that the formed BC sheets were consistent in thickness and had good tensile strength for small structural applications. During button fabrication and attachment, the material exhibited acceptable flexibility, edge stability and resistance to cracking, suggesting practical suitability for apparel use under limited stress conditions. Practical implications The results provide designers and small-scale manufacturers with the initial arguments in support of BC buttons as an eco-friendly solution to traditional apparel fastenings. Originality/value Most available research describes BC as a fabric or leather-like material, while the present work shifts the emphasis to its usefulness as a fastener (button), offering a modest but necessary step towards fully biodegradable apparel systems.