HONOLULU (KHON2) — Chickens are abundant in Hawaiʻi, but they are more than just a familiar sight along the islands’ roads — they are actually a key component in making a textile that could change the course of Hawaiʻi’s economy and environment.
Chicken feathers have a component called keratin in them, a component found in human hair, nails, animal horns and other strong naturally-occurring materials.
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With this in mind, Hawaiʻi born-and-raised engineer Dr. Tarah Sullivan Suiter was inspired to use chicken feathers for something more, something that could be used in the daily life of everyday people.
So, she made KERTEX: a textile made entirely out of chicken feathers…