Kombucha Materiality: Cultivating Sustainable Mindsets and Natural Entanglement through Alternative Design Practices and Materials.

<p><strong>Humans and Nature are no longer unified by the bonds they used to share. Once, we depended on one another in order to survive. Now one exploits the other – labeling it a ‘resource’. This has resulted in a divide, leading to the creation of major WICKED PROBLEMS, one of which is more commonly known as climate change, affecting life globally. This thesis aims to recover the connection humans have to nature through design, by inviting reflection on how to re-shape design practices to be inclusive of this connection and natural processes. It does so by answering the question: “In what ways can the application of alternative design practices cultivate sustainable mindsets that recognise our deep interconnection with the natural environment?”. This thesis explores food’s role within the interconnection of humans, how food plays an important role connecting humans with nature – and how food, food fermentation, and food production waste can be used as tools to create alternative design practices that support the reflection and cultivation of sustainable mindsets. This research explores ‘kombucha’ and its waste material, ‘SCOBY’, as a regenerative alternative to materials such as paper, fabric, and leather showcasing its ability to affect different design disciplines. Through ‘Creative Practice’ and ‘Research Through Design’, this thesis aims to illustrate mindsets of entanglement and sustainability in action through practice. It aims to provide tools which will aid future designers, creatives, and consumers to engage in reflective experiences, outlining mindsets of entanglement. This thesis acts as a knowledge base of experimentation and reflection in which the reader can be educated on ‘sustainability’, ‘critical thinking’, and ‘reflective entanglement’. The exegesis is ‘augmented’ with a number of creative writing outputs called ‘Creative Insertions’. The ‘Creative Insertions’ represent critical reflections developed through the design process. These insertions embody the principles of a research through design methodology, offering experiential insights and moments of innovation. Additionally, this thesis includes a body of design outputs that will be presented in an exhibition format. These works document the material development underpinning the project, the categorisation of materials into a colour chart, preliminary design investigations, and a collaborative social engagement that emerged through the design process. Together, these outputs contribute to a cohesive research enquiry that integrates critical academic reflection with speculative, practice-based experimentation.</strong></p>