Fazilet Ceyhanlı, a research assistant in the Department of Textile and Fashion Design at Çukurova University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, has opened an exhibition showcasing works made from "vegan leather" derived from used tea.

Ceyhanlı, who completed her doctoral thesis titled "Experimental Explorations in Textile and Fashion Design in the Age of Change with Biotechnology Opportunities" at the Institute of Social Sciences in the Art and Design Department, discovered a method to create "vegan leather" through a fermentation process using used tea.

She crafted five dresses and 10 surface design samples using the material she developed and presented them in the "ÖZ" exhibition at the Adana Seyhan Çırçır Art Center.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Ceyhanlı explained that she organized a personal exhibition to showcase and explain the vegan leather she developed.

"I created clothing and surface designs using vegan leather made from tea, which is naturally obtained through the fermentation of tea leaves using food yeast," Ceyhanlı said. She further elaborated on the purpose of her research: "The main goal of my thesis was to develop a sustainable organic product that does not harm nature or humans and to offer this suggestion to aspiring designers in the textile sector. A strong, non-woven surface, similar to leather, can be produced without harming animals. There are still many areas for further development. I used all the techniques of textile design, including weaving, knitting and embroidery. Despite being exposed to metal, it did not degrade. Fabric and sewing strength tests were conducted and the results showed good durability. It is entirely a scientific work, but the final product also serves art, both in appearance and conceptual structure," she said.

Ceyhanlı also mentioned that she has applied for a utility model with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT) regarding the product.

The exhibition will be open until March 26.