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From Nature to Design: Tailoring Pure Mycelial Materials for the Needs of Tomorrow

Summary

Scientists are developing new materials made from mushroom mycelium that could replace leather, foam, and plastic products. These fungal-based materials grow on simple agricultural waste, are completely biodegradable, and have a much smaller environmental footprint than traditional materials. Companies like MycoWorks are already producing mycelium leather for major fashion brands, showing this technology is moving from laboratories into real products.

Background

Fungal mycelial materials have emerged as promising sustainable alternatives to conventional materials like leather, foam, and polymers. With inherent structural strength from chitin and β-glucan, pure mycelial materials (PMMs) offer renewable and biodegradable solutions. Recent industrial developments from companies like MycoWorks and Ecovative LLC demonstrate the commercial viability of mycelium-based products.

Objective

This review evaluates the current trajectory of pure mycelial materials (PMMs) and explores optimization strategies across species selection, mycelial growth, and fabrication processes. The paper aims to highlight technological successes and identify how these materials can address sustainability challenges posed by conventional products.

Results

Over 60 fungal species have been investigated for PMM applications, with notable success in mycelium-based leathers showing lower carbon footprints than bovine leather. Bracket fungi species demonstrate particularly promising structural properties. Commercial products like MycoWorks’ Reishi and Ecovative’s Forager show competitive material performance in specific applications.

Conclusion

Pure mycelial materials present viable replacements for leather, foam, and other conventional materials with superior environmental credentials. Success requires further optimization of cultivation methods, post-processing techniques, and species-strain selection to achieve broad market adoption and overcome current performance limitations.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi (Basel),
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMC10970937, PMID: 38535193, DOI: 10.3390/jof10030183
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