Singtex continues to innovate with spent coffee grounds
18/10/2018
Airmem is a bio-based membrane which contains 25% coffee oil extracted from spent coffee grounds. It is offered up as a more sustainable alternative to membranes that are 100% petroleum based.
The membrane’s odour control properties are two times better than a conventional membrane, according to Singtex. Other qualities of Airmem include good water resistance, breathability and wind proofness.
Speaking to sportstextiles at the exhibition in Taipei, Jason Chen, chairman of Singtex and the brains behind the concept, explained that the extracted coffee oil is first converted into a coffee polyol. This in turn is made into a PU, which can then be used to create the Airmem film membrane.
Singtex recycles coffee beans that are collected from 7-Eleven convenience stores and Starbucks coffee shops across Taiwan. Mr Chen confesses that the idea of using spent coffee grounds to create fabrics with odour control properties was actually his wife’s. He has since invested considerable research and capital to build the S.Café product range.
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