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Accepted manuscript

Aging in Bacterial Cellulose: A Comparative Study of Biological Stabilization Strategies for Upholstered Furniture Applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 July 2026

F. Zeccara*
Affiliation:
Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
P. Bolzan
Affiliation:
Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
F. Fedele
Affiliation:
Designer, Freelance, Milan, Italy
*
*Author for correspondence. Email: francesca.zeccara@polimi.it
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Abstract

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Bacterial Cellulose (BC) offers significant potential in biodesign, yet its sensitivity to water and aging phenomena critically condition its reliability over time. This study investigates the interconnection between hydrophobic stabilization strategies and long-term durability through the comparative analysis of two case studies in the upholstery furniture sector, both of them previously developed using Material Driven Design (MDD) methodology and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach: 1) a surface stabilization treatment of BC with beeswax and 2) a bio-hybrid integration with fungal mycelium. Through phenomenological observation conducted 18 months after production, the paper analyzes how these different technical responses influence the trajectory of aesthetic and mechanical degradation of BC, identifying promising conditions and relevant criteria that hydrophobicity optimization may need to address for effective aging management and future industrial validation. The findings contribute to understanding the relationship between stabilization strategies and long-term material behavior, fostering the transition from designing for ephemerality to a vision based on the permanence and durability of grown biomaterials.

Information

Type
Full Paper: Biodesign Conference
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press