Mi Terro News

An LA-based startup is making eco-friendly t-shirts out of excess milk.

You may have already heard of various alternative materials coming to the fore in fashion, like hemp, linen and even pineapple leather. But the white stuff we pour over our cereal every morning - not so much.

Mi Terro uses biotechnology to re-engineer food waste into sustainable fibres that can replace plastic in the fashion, medical and packaging industries. Why milk? 128 million tons of milk is wasted every year, according to the brand, and this generates around 3.3 billion tons of greenhouse gases.

A Los Angeles-based startup that upcycles unused milk into sustainable clothing is in talks with leading dairy companies in China over strategic partnerships, said the company’s founder and chief executive.

Mi Terro is one of many small fashion brands tapping consumers’ growing desire to direct their purchases toward companies operating sustainably, in an industry that has been dogged by concerns around waste and over-production. Small- and medium-sized companies make up roughly half of the fashion industry, and are well-placed to innovate in sustainability, according to a 2019 white paper led by the Centre for Sustainable Fashion.

A Los Angeles-based startup that upcycles unused milk into sustainable clothing is in talks with leading dairy companies in China over strategic partnerships, said the company’s founder and chief executive.

The startup is preparing to expand its food waste innovation beyond fashion. It is working on new technology that will help dairy makers recycle whey waste into biodegradable food packaging film, Luo said.