Got milk - in your clothing? Absolutely! Milk fiber is a relatively new fiber on the block, tracing its origins back to less than a century ago. Originating from the protein casein in milk it is, like wool, a protein fiber.

Milk fiber’s story begins with the discovery of the earliest of plastics. In 1897, chemist Adolf Spitteler's cat tipped a bottle of formaldehyde into its milk dish, leading to the discovery of casein plastic. This inspired Frederick Todtenhaupt, another German chemist, who envisioned using a similar process to turn milk into fiber. Although he worked for five years without success, his work sowed the seeds for future innovators. Italian chemist Antonio Ferretti picked up where other milk fiber developers left off, and by 1935, he produced the world's first commercially available milk fiber named Lanital.

After WWI Italy was at the forefront of synthetic and semi-synthetic fiber production. In particular, Italy was known for its rayon. The country’s textile manufacturers almost immediately recognized the potential of milk fiber. SNIA Viscoa, the largest rayon manufacturer, quickly secured a patent for Lanital. Using skim milk, a common waste product from cheese and butter production, they produced milk fiber by separating the casein with acid, drying, and grinding it, rehydrating it, spinning it, and bathing it in a chemical hardening bath.

Philippo Tommaso Marinetti, often credited as the father of the Italian Futurist Movement, fervently endorsed milk fiber along with other synthetic fibers. He believed these fibers were the way of the future. His interest wasn’t just futurism, though – he also started his own political party, The Futurist Party. It had some affinity with Mussolini’s National Fascist Party, and in 1919 the two parties merged.

Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 resulted in heavy sanctions by the League of Nations, which included imported wool and silk. Mussolini had already been encouraging Italians to embrace the synthetic and semi-synthetic textiles produced in Italy, but the sanctions caused Mussolini to have an almost obsessive interest in milk fiber. Nationwide campaigns extolling the virtues of Lanital became common. By 1937, Lanital even became the mandated textile for national flags and banners.

Looking to further monetize and spread the word about Lanital, SNIA Viscoa sold its patent for Lanital to countries across Europe, Asia, and North America. To help their cause in North America, SNIA Viscoa approached society women who were more than happy to model and attend functions in unique dresses made from milk fiber, the fiber of the future. Soon, the United States ventured into milk fiber production. In 1941, Atlantic Research Associates, a division of the National Dairy Corporation, began producing milk fiber under the brand name Aralac.

At the start of WWII, milk fiber found its way into military clothing in the militaries of both the Axis and the Allies. But partway through the war it began to fall out of favor on the battlefield. It turned out that its strength durability was inferior to wool, and there were complaints that when it became damp it smelled like sour milk. Mussolini also believed that boots, blankets, and military uniforms that contained Lanital would resist poison gas. They did not. Additionally, although the texture of Lanital was similar to wool, it did not have the same capacity to keep soldiers warm even when damp or wet. This led to at least 2000 cases of frostbite among Italian soldiers during their battles against France.

Although the United States transitioned away from milk fiber in military applications, among the civilian population it found its way into clothes, shoes, and hats. Magazines of the era in North America were awash in advertisements for Aralac fabric blends, including fleeces, flannels, twills, and summer weight fabrics. Aralac's immense popularity led to inevitable patent disputes as more manufacturers sought a share of the milk fiber pie. Although Aralac tried to hold on to its patent, milk fiber was too ubiquitous throughout the nation and the world for it to belong to just one company. Other companies began to produce milk fiber as well. However, by the late 1940s milk fiber production began to sharply decline. Even though Aralac and other milk fibers were made from inexpensive waste milk, it was still more costly to make than acrylic and rayon. Soon, it disappeared from textile production completely.

For decades, it looked like milk fiber was extinct, never to be seen again. However, Anke Domaske's German company Qmilch (also known as Qmilk) is reviving and improving this fiber of yesteryear. Begun in 2011, Qmilch’s milk fiber production uses only waste milk and milk that is unfit for human consumption. They eschew pesticides, synthetic chemicals, and petroleum products, and have also managed to get rid of the sour milk smell that was a concern of milk textile of the past. It has been found to be mildly antibacterial and antifungal, and it is even compostable once it can no longer be used or reused.

The milk fiber of today is incredibly soft, with a drape and hand comparable to silk. While it can be spun by itself, it is usually blended with other fibers for enhanced durability. Milk fiber width is typically 20 microns or less, and it has a very long staple. Since it is a protein fiber, it is ideal to blend with wool for spinning and dyeing. The same acid dyes used on wool can be used on milk fiber.

Interested in this eco-conscious and historically fascinating fiber? We have it in stock and ready to head to your craft studio. Pop by the shop or shop online to add some to your stash and try it out in your next project!