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Designers, brands and manufacturers are looking to leverage the sheer scale of fungi, using everything from the root to the fruit to reimagine the language of design.
Many funga innovations make use of Mycelium, the fast-growing connected mass of roots that underpins all life on Earth and has the potential to revolutionise our material world. Mycelium is nature’s great decomposer, clearing the forest floor of matter and contributing to soil health, while its capture and storage of CO2 makes its growth effectively carbon neutral. Able to be moulded into various shapes, strengths and densities, mycelium is already being transformed into fabric, packaging and building materials, but its potential is far from reached. Discover five ready-to-use funga materials that will change your perception of nature forever.
of funga in the world is yet to be discovered
Projected value of the mycelium market by 2026
We share up to 50% of our DNA with mushrooms
Whether it’s handbags or shoes, leather has long been a byword for quality. The luxury sector is actually one of those that has generally resisted the temptation to replace everything with cheaply-made plastic. Nevertheless, traditional leather manufacturing has its own environmental cost, thanks to the masses of greenhouse gases pumped out at every stage from farm to fabric, and the chromium, aldehydes and acids used in tanning.
You’ll still need something extra-special to convince the most discerning buyers to try an alternative to leather, and with independent testing showing it can match the strength, durability, and colourfastness of the real thing, Reishi from Mycoworks may just be that product. Rather than just compressing its mycelium into a foam, the company uses its proprietary tech to grow it into a dense, strong layer to perfectly mimic the animal hides it’s replacing.
Packaging is a major challenge when it comes to going plastic free. Polystyrene is malleable, protective, lightweight and all-too-easy to throw away once consumers have the actual product in their hand. Materials like glass and metal are often non-starters when it comes to a replacement, and cardboard and paper have their own limitations, as well as being reliant on the logging industry.
Ecovative’s MycoComposite Mushroom Packaging is more revolution than evolution. Agricultural waste and specially-selected mycelium is grown for a week into a durable, plastic-free, foam-like material that can compete on cost with styrofoam. The finished packaging is flame resistant, naturally hydrophobic, and best of all is certified to break down in the environment, harmlessly returning back to nature rather than ending up in landfill.
Many synthetic cosmetic dyes are made with non-renewable, toxic and polluting chemicals, which cause health problems both for those making them and the general population, when they inevitably leach into the environment. For those with sensitive skin, artificial colours can cause irritation, inflammation, blocked pores, acne, or even serious allergic reactions.
Looking to avoid all that, Jesse Adler’s experimental Alchemical Mycology cosmetics use pigments extracted from fungi instead. Where natural dyes have previously struggled to compete with synthetics on colours, colour-fastness and scalability, the sheer size of the funga kingdom opens up a world of bold hues and shades, as Jesse’s vibrant pilot collection more than proves.
The internal walls of most modern homes are plasterboard, and while they’re packed with insulating material, it’s often not quite enough to block out the sound from room-to-room. That’s led to a significant market in acoustic panels to absorb and muffle sound at home or in the office. Cork and Wool are potential options, but most baffles on the market today are made with synthetic fibres, be they new or recycled.
Fed on a soup of otherwise difficult-to-recycle industry waste, Edge acoustic panels are made with 100% mycelium to make panels with excellent sound-absorbing qualities. They’re also breathable and moisture-wicking, with negligible levels of volatile organic compounds meaning they can be cold-composted at the end of their life. A natural alternative to a modern problem.
While mycelium leather has great potential, innovations to date have focused on small batch replacements for luxury goods. What the industry really needs is a truly scalable and affordable mass-market alternative to influence change on a global stage.
Really Clever’s Not Leather aims to be just that. Skipping the root and the fruit, Really Clever’s fabric is made from the stipe – the stalk – of specially-chosen mushrooms, which is combined with Algae, minerals and other plant-based materials. Customisation is key. Any colour can be added to the mix, and all aspects of the final material are tuneable, helping customers get exactly what they need at an affordable price point. It’s in its earliest stages, but Really Clever already has partnerships lined up with major players in the fashion and automotive sectors, including shoe giant Russell & Bromley.