• Sustainability Problem

Waste: Approximately 7.6 million tons of coffee beans are sold worldwide each year, becoming waste product that ends up in landfills, once roasted.

• Technology Summary

Article:
Odor Eating Fabric Made from Recycled Coffee Grounds is Perfect for Athletes.  http://inhabitat.com/odor-eating-fabric-made-from-recycled-coffee-grounds-is-perfect-for-athletes/

1. Technology developed and patented after 4 years of research by Jason Chen and environmental partners
2. Roasted coffee undergoes a process to remove phenols, esters, and oils, waste grounds are then spun into an odorless, fast drying fabric.
3. Oil byproduct used for cosmetics, household items, and within other sectors of the textile industry
4. Coffee grinds require less energy in the fiber-making process, making it an “earth-friendly” alternative to traditional fabrics.

• Organizational Stakeholders

1. Clothing Distributors/Companies
2. Coffee Distribution Companies/Businesses
3. Textile Factories/Industries
4. Consumers/Product End-users
5. Landfills & Sanitation Departments

• Deployment

The next three stages in deploying this technology could be:

1. Forge partnerships with major performance clothing companies; demonstrate product viability and sequester investors
2. Forge partnerships with major coffee service companies (like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, etc.) to secure a supply of grounds for production
3. Develop marketing strategies to gain traction in consumer market

See also:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/20/65/b8/2065b808c10e45fd3ccda427f835493f.jpg Apparel Industry numbers

http://inhabitat.com/odor-eating-fabric-made-from-recycled-coffee-grounds-is-perfect-for-athletes/ Annual coffee consumption

http://www.scafefabrics.com/en-global/about/particular S.cafe Product Site

http://factory45.co/6-new-innovative-fabrics-for-sustainable-fashion S.Cafe summary