The development of biomaterials has been the subject of research and study by many designers in recent years with the aim of reducing the use of unsustainable raw materials, such as plastic and animal leather . And, within this research, mycelium has stood out. This is the vegetative part of a fungus or bacterial colony, which consists of a mass of branches formed by a tangled set. This incredible structure has gained relevance thanks to its versatility, in addition to being a sustainable and ecological material that can be used in the creation of a series of products, as you can see in the selection below.
1. Colorful Mushroom Leather
British companies
Sages and
Osmose have teamed up to create a new
biomaterial . The sheets are made from
mycelium dyed with
natural food waste . The result is a material that mimics the look and feel of traditional animal leather. Osmose specializes in making a leather alternative from mycelium, the fibrous part of mushroom roots, while Sages produces natural dyes using food waste such as avocado pits, blueberries, kale and onion skins, which are typically applied to fabrics. The partnership resulted in an innovative and sustainable material, with colored mycelium without the need for petroleum-based synthetic dyes, thus keeping the product free from toxic components and able to biodegrade safely in the soil.
2. Mycelium and 3D printing
New York and London-based biodesign studio
bioMATTERS has combined
mycelium ,
clay , and
household and industrial waste to create 3D printed containers and
bowls . The collection of objects called MYCO-CLAY represents the potential of 3D printing to generate robust and recycled pieces for the home environment, using organic and waste materials. The company’s idea is to develop new biodegradable products by adopting new biofabrication workflows with mycelium and clay, which is a natural material with high plasticity. Led by Nancy Diniz and Frank Melendez, bioMATTERS claims that the pieces in this collection reflect a contemporary post-digital aesthetic, brought to life through computational precision, generative design, and
3D printing technologies.
3. Vases that clean water
A team of students and researchers at the
Rhode Island School of Design in the United States has developed a series of floating plant beds made from a mycelium-based biomaterial. The idea is to use the pieces to remove pollutants from waterways and restore natural habitats. Called
Floating Biopods , the innovation works to introduce native plants back into degraded wetland systems, while also cleaning the water by reintroducing microorganisms that naturally decontaminate the environment.
4. Living lamp
Tallinn-based
Myceen has developed a series of pendant lights made from mycelium called
B Wise . The domes are made from the biomaterial, while the frame is made from aluminum. Organic waste from the region's timber and agricultural industries, including
sawdust and
straw , was mixed with
mycelium . The mixture was then poured into the lamp's mold to grow under controlled temperature and humidity conditions.
Even fashion giant
Adidas has embraced the versatility of mycelium-based leather, unveiling a version of its classic
Stan Smith sneaker made from the biomaterial. The concept shoe, created by the brand, features an upper developed in a lab using mycelium. Over the course of two weeks, sheets of the material were grown and then tanned and dyed to create a mycelium leather called Mylo, which was originally created by American biotechnology company
Bolt Threads .
6. Sustainable packaging
French candle brand
Amen has developed
carbon-negative packaging made from
mycelium and agricultural waste to deliver its products to customers. The idea is to help reduce plastic waste used to transport fragile products such as candles, which are often wrapped in bubble wrap to protect them, even though the outer packaging does not contain the material.
7. It looks like ceramic, but it’s mycelium
Seoul-based studio Craft Combine has designed a collection of containers made from mycelium through a collaboration with Bio Lab Seoul, a public biology laboratory. The designers hope that new, eco-friendly materials like mycelium will once again revolutionize human life, just as pottery did in prehistoric times. They discovered that mycelium is a natural, self-sustaining material that can be combined with agricultural byproducts. The material grows through a natural and uneven process. This makes it difficult to achieve consistent shapes and finishes because the growth control process is not regular. However, they took advantage of this artisanal characteristic to create unique pieces that vary in texture, color and shape. 8. Mycelium in the luxury market
French luxury brand
Hermès has partnered with biomaterials company
MycoWorks to reinvent the classic
Victoria bag with a leather alternative grown from mycelium. The piece is produced in an amber color. The raw material is tanned and finished by Hermès’ tanneries in France, just like real leather, to mimic the traditional look—from the wrinkling to the color gradient. Called Sylvania, the material was created as part of a three-year collaboration between MycoWorks and Hermès to perfect mycelium leather for use in a commercially available luxury product.
9. Cozy touch
Furniture designer
Mari Koppanen has used a suede-like material historically made from fungi in Romania to upholster cute stools. The Fomes line was designed in homage to the fungus known as
fomes fomentarius , which produces
mushrooms shaped like horses’ hooves. By using it for contemporary furniture, Koppanen hopes to preserve this ancient skill, as well as explore the material as a substitute for animal leather.
10. Vegan leather
Major fashion brands have teamed up to invest in a new material called
Mylo , which is grown from mycelium but looks and feels like animal leather. As part of a business consortium, the brands are helping to increase the production capacity of US biotech company
Bolt Threads . The idea is to create a supply chain for vegan leather, which would allow products made from the material to be manufactured on a commercially viable scale.
