Aims: To offset the negative effects of aeration on bacterial cellulose (BC) production by acetic acid bacteria using enmeshed cellulose microfibrils (CM) on luffa sponge matrices (LSM). Methods and Results: The CM were enmeshed on LSM (LSM-CM). The optimal amount of LSM-CM was determined for BC production under aerated conditions. Without LSM-CM, no BC was produced in seven out of nine production cycles at the highest aeration rate (9 l min(-1)). However, with 0.5% LSM-CM and an aeration rate of 3 l min(-1), a satisfactory oxygen transfer coefficient was achieved, and also a good yield of BC (5.24 g l(-1)). Moreover, the LSM-CM was able to be recycled through nine consecutive BC production cycles. The highest BC yields (from 5.8 +/- 0.4 to 6.6 +/- 0.4 g l(-1)) were associated with high bacterial biomass and this was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Conclusions: We confirm that LSM-CM works well as a starter. Microenvironments low in dissolved oxygen within the matrices of LSM-CM are important for BC production under aeration conditions. Significance and Impact of the Study: The LSM-CM provides a microenvironment which offsets the negative effects of aeration on BC production. A sustainable, economic process for mass BC production is described using recycled LSM-CM with aeration.