Researchers at universities worldwide have developed techniques for creating uses for otherwise wasted items, like chicken feathers and cotton plant stalks.
Some of these techniques can be licensed from the universities, and some are freely in the public domain. Can you put these ideas into practice, making something out of “nothing”?
Pulling together several different processes, a scientist in India is proposing ideas to make use of all of the cotton plant: fiber, stalk, seed and all. The concept paper was submitted to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Read about it in The Hindu.
Nebraska (USA) researchers are working specifically on fabrics, working with chicken feathers and rice straw. This research was released at the annual conference of the American Chemical Society in 2006. From Cnet Future Tech, via Business Filter.
So consider alternative products and alternative fibers.
If you know of a resource to help people tap into these concept papers and research results for their businesses, let me know!
[Photo of cotton plant in India by gflaig, from Flickr.]
New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe.
- How small town businesses can market to remote workers and turn them into new customers - May 15, 2023
- Survey of Rural Challenges 2023 results - May 8, 2023
- Rural and small town ideas from the OU Placemaking Conference IQC 2023 - April 5, 2023
- Rural tourism trends say small towns are still cool - March 27, 2023
- Move Your Money and Bank Local - March 22, 2023
- Using a building as a warehouse or storage in a small town? Put up a sign - March 13, 2023
- How to get customers in the door of small town and rural retail stores - February 19, 2023
- Check your small business website for outdated pandemic changes, missing info - January 31, 2023
- Rural Tourism Trend: electric vehicle chargers can drive visitors - January 15, 2023
- 2023 trends for rural and small town businesses - December 26, 2022