Sustainability put to the test

On the 19^th of November, a representative of the Austrian Embassy brought a very special package from Sciencepool Austria to the #Fuf4Future AG of the GISW. In it: two baby wipes fabric samples (one made of the new fiber Veocel), a soil analyzer, and microscopes. Together with hundreds of schools in Austria and around the world, the #FuF4future course will take part in the project #ItsInOurHands in cooperation with the organization Science Pool Austria. We conduct hands-on experiments that allow students to compare fabrics made from compostable and synthetic materials. The newly developed Veocel fiber is a wood-based and biodegradable product (special viscose) that is used in everyday life, for example as baby wipes. Fibers made from fossil oil take around 200+ years to decompose, the average American generating about 80 pounds of waste every year. The experiment is specifically focused on baby wipes, a waste product that has become more common during the pandemic. As part of the experiment, students will be asked to analyze the local soil composition and different tissue samples. They will then bury the fabrics underground for some weeks and record their results. Not only is this project a way to test the efficiency of this newly developed concept, but students will also learn important scientific research skills and, share and compare their results with a network of schools all over the world.

We are very excited about our test results and we can hopefully show that Veocel fiber is a sustainable solution for environmentally friendly hygiene in the future.

The #FuF4future Team