1304 days ago

A fruitful idea: Orange Fibre

Owner from Curtain Clean BOP Ltd

In Italy, the citrus industry discards one million tonnes of citrus fruit peels annually. While the peels are of course biodegradable, it still costs a lot of money to dispose of them properly. The start-up Orange Fibre, run by Adriana Santanocito and Enrica Arena, has developed a new kind of fabric, which is entirely made of waste citrus fruit peels.


The idea came to Santanocito while working on her thesis in fashion design. Since Sicily, where she is from, is responsible for a major amount of peels, she tried to think of a way to reduce the amount of waste. And thus the idea to make fabric from the discarded peels was born.


The peels are processed with a patented method to extract the cellulose that is spun to form the final yarn. The fabric looks and feels like silk: soft to the touch and a shiny appearance. The biodegradable yarn can be spun with any type of existing yarn.


Aside from looking pretty and feeling nice, the orange yarn has an additional benefit: thanks to nanotechnology, the material still contains essential oils and vitamin C that are present in the citrus fruit peel. The skin absorbs these oils and is nourished by them, making the fabric a wearable body cream. According to Orange Fibre, despite the oils, the fabric does not feel greasy.


Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

More messages from your neighbours
3 hours ago

What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.

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1 day ago

Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.

This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.

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Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
  • 84.6% Yes
    84.6% Complete
  • 13.9% No
    13.9% Complete
  • 1.5% Other - I'll share below
    1.5% Complete
736 votes
5 days ago

Become an SPCA Foster Hero!

The Team from SPCA Tauranga - Centre & Op Shops

Kitten season has arrived, and over the next six months, over 8,000 cats and kittens will come into SPCA’s care. Please help us give these babies the best start in life and sign up to be a foster parent today! It's not just cats and kittens - we are also urgently seeking foster homes for dogs and small animals.

Fostering saves lives and helps these tiny babies grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults, ready for adoption. We cover all training and costs. All you need is time and love to spare!

Sign up today and save a life!