Mycelium: The Material of Tomorrow

The Unseen Kingdom: How Fungi's Hidden Network Is Quietly Reshaping Our World

A quiet revolution is taking root beneath our feet. For years, mushrooms have been gaining prominence, moving from the culinary fringe to the cultural mainstream. This rise is visible everywhere, from the celebrated Fantastic Fungi documentary on Netflix to the growing number of clinical studies examining compounds in psychedelic species as potential treatments for depression. An undeniable fungal boom is well underway, capturing both public imagination and scientific interest. Yet, beyond the visible fruiting bodies lies the true agent of change: mycelium. This intricate, root-like network is now being harnessed by innovators and businesses confronting several of the planet’s most urgent environmental and industrial issues.

From Waste to Walls

A London-based biomanufacturing firm, Biohm, stands at the forefront of this movement. The company cultivates vast quantities of mycelium, using a feedstock composed of organic waste materials like sawdust and discarded food scraps. Through this process, Biohm creates high-performance insulation panels for building applications. These fungal boards offer a direct and sustainable replacement for the ubiquitous plastic-based insulation products that currently dominate the market. The company's innovative approach not only diverts waste from landfills and incinerators but also provides a biodegradable alternative to materials derived from fossil fuels, addressing a critical need for sustainability inside one of the planet's most resource-heavy industries.

A Natural Answer to an Industrial Problem

Building and construction pose a monumental challenge to global sustainability efforts, contributing significantly to carbon emissions and landfill waste. Oksana Bondar, Biohm’s design director, explains that the company’s mission is to confront these global issues with natural, effective solutions. After a deep analysis of manufacturing refuse channels and the material composition of modern buildings, insulation emerged as a key commodity ripe for disruption. The foundational concept involved applying a biological solution to an industrial problem, leveraging nature's own processes to create a superior product. This strategy bypasses the energy-intensive manufacturing associated with conventional insulation, offering a gentler, more circular approach to building our future homes and offices.

The Circular Promise of Fungal Construction

The life cycle of Biohm’s mycelium panels showcases the beauty of circular design. Once the fungal network has fully colonized its substrate over several weeks, the company gathers the solid mass and then dehydrates it. The material is then compressed into dense, brick-like boards. The final product is remarkably versatile. Ms Bondar highlights its unique properties, noting that the panels can be completely remanufactured at the end of their use, reprocessed into a growth substrate for new mycelium products. Furthermore, the material is safe to compost, boasting a neutral pH and a 100% natural composition. Instead of leaving a legacy of pollution, it enriches the ground upon its return to the earth.

Scaling Up for a Greener Britain

Biohm is actively pursuing mainstream adoption of its groundbreaking technology. A company spokesperson confirmed ongoing negotiations with major multinational corporations aimed at introducing their mycelium products to global markets. The ambition is to make fungal insulation a common feature in buildings across the UK and Europe. Within the next couple of years, consumers can expect to see these organic panels fitted inside new residences, business offices, and community areas. This transition marks a significant step towards decarbonising the built environment, demonstrating that sustainable, high-performance materials can be produced at a scale capable of challenging industrial incumbents and reshaping supply chains for the better.

Crafting a Plastic-Free Leather

Across the Atlantic, MycoWorks, a San Francisco-based firm, is applying similar principles to the world of fashion and luxury goods. The company cultivates mycelium for the creation of a premium leather alternative it calls "Reishi." This innovative material is now being used to create an array of high-end products, from handbags and hats to wallets and even decorative bowls. Sophia Wang, a co-founder of the company, describes Reishi as an extraordinary substance. She calls it a pioneering replacement for leather that does not rely on a plastic-based core ingredient. The cultivation process is elegantly simple, requiring only three organic inputs: mycelium, water, and wood shavings, which ensures carbon emissions remain remarkably low.

The Luxury Market's Fungal Embrace

The most significant curiosity in MycoWorks’ innovation is currently coming from the luxury goods industry. The company has already partnered with the renowned fashion house Hermès to develop a handbag partially built with its mycelium-based textile. Another notable collaboration has been formed with Nick Fouquet, a creator of bespoke hats, further cementing Reishi's status as a desirable high-fashion material. These partnerships are crucial, as they validate mycelium leather as a viable and aspirational alternative to animal hides, signalling a potential shift in an industry long associated with tradition and specific raw materials.

From Handbags to Car Seats

The potential applications for mycelium leather extend far beyond personal accessories. MycoWorks is actively collaborating with General Motors, the automotive giant, to investigate applications for its materials inside vehicle cabins. This partnership could pave the way for a new generation of vehicle cabins featuring sustainable, cruelty-free surfaces that do not compromise on quality or aesthetic appeal. Ms Wang explains that the company's process involves coaxing the mycelium's growth into a sizable, uniform block. Its uppermost surface, possessing a texture and appearance remarkably like animal hide, is delicately removed. This sheet subsequently undergoes tanning, embossing, and colouring using the same techniques applied to traditional hides.

The Economics of Ethical Fashion

At present, Reishi's pricing is comparable to that of conventional luxury leather, placing it in the premium category. However, Sophia Wang is confident that its cost will become more accessible as the company scales up its operations. To facilitate this growth, MycoWorks has successfully raised $125 million (£104 million) in funding. These funds are dedicated to erecting a new, state-of-the-art facility located in South Carolina. This expansion is projected to increase production capacity exponentially, from an annual output of thousands of sheets to millions. The new plant is set to open before the year's end, marking a critical step towards making mycelium leather a mainstream option for designers and consumers alike.

Beyond Leather: The Textile Frontier

While MycoWorks has made significant strides with its leather substitute, other innovators are exploring mycelium's potential to create a wider range of textiles. Researchers and startups are developing methods to produce fungal-based fabrics that could one day replace cotton, silk, and synthetic fibres. These materials promise a smaller environmental footprint, as mycelium cultivation requires significantly less water and land than traditional crops like cotton. Furthermore, the process does not involve applying pesticides and harsh chemicals often associated with textile production. The development of these new fungal fabrics could diversify the sustainable fashion landscape, offering designers a palette of eco-friendly materials with unique textures and performance characteristics.

Image Credit - by Aurélien Adoue, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A New Canvas for Vegan Cuisine

The transformative power of mycelium is also making its mark on the food industry. A growing number of startups are harnessing its fibrous structure to create high-protein, whole-food alternatives to meat. Bosque Foods, a Berlin-based company, has raised $3 million to develop convincing alternatives derived from mycelium for pork, chicken, and bacon. Isabella Iglesias-Musachio, the firm’s co-founder and chief executive, explains their process involves cultivating mycelium inside fermentation tanks. This method enables rapid growth within just days and supports a system of city-based, indoor agriculture that is disconnected from the constraints of traditional farming and its vast land requirements.

The Umami Engine of Alternative Protein

A key benefit of using mycelium for food is its neutral flavour profile and naturally meat-like texture. Ms Iglesias-Musachio points out that many existing plant-based alternatives are dependent on isolates from soy or pea proteins, which often possess a powerful, distinct taste that is unappealing to a wide audience. These products often require extensive processing and masking agents to create a palatable result. In contrast, Bosque Foods' mycelium provides a "blank canvas." It possesses a gentle taste accompanied by subtle savoury or “umami” notes, allowing the company's chefs to build complex and desirable flavour profiles using natural spices and ingredients, creating products that people genuinely crave.

Navigating the Regulatory Maze

Bringing novel food products to market requires navigating a complex web of regulations. While burgers made from mycelium can now be purchased in the United States, and one mycelium variety received approval from the European Union in recent months, Brexit has created complexities for the United Kingdom. The nation's Food Standards Agency has nevertheless maintained the EU's approval protocols for what are termed “novel foods.” This classification applies to any food substance that was not consumed to a significant degree by humans in the EU before May 1997. Companies like Bosque Foods must therefore undergo a rigorous approval process to sell their products within the United Kingdom.

From Burgers to Bacon: A Growing Menu

Despite the regulatory hurdles, the momentum behind mycelium-based foods continues to build. Isabella Iglesias-Musachio is adamant that this fungal ingredient represents what is next for vegan cuisine, offering a superior sensory experience compared to many first-generation plant-based products. The ability to grow mycelium efficiently and cost-effectively means that companies can match the price point of conventional meat much sooner than with other technologies. This economic advantage, combined with the material's culinary versatility, positions mycelium to become a cornerstone of the alternative protein market, appealing to vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians who are seeking delicious, sustainable options without compromise.

An Explosion of Global Interest

The rapid emergence of companies like Biohm, MycoWorks, and Bosque Foods reflects a broader surge of fascination with mycelium. Dr Mitchell Jones, a specialist on the subject and a researcher with the Vienna University of Technology, attributes this trend to a simple increase in awareness. He notes that when he began his doctoral work on the topic, the field was obscure, with a near-total absence of published studies on materials derived from mycelium and only a couple of companies exploring its potential. Today, the landscape has transformed dramatically, with commercial startups and research projects appearing across the globe, in nations including Australia, Indonesia, Italy, the UK, and the US.

The Allure of a 'Weird' Solution

Dr Jones suggests that the growing media attention surrounding mycelium is fuelling a feedback loop, inspiring more entrepreneurs to enter the space and found startups. He believes a portion of the appeal is the inherent “weirdness” of the idea, for want of a better term. The concept of growing building materials, clothes, and food from the fungus’s root-like network is both novel and captivating. This sense of wonder, combined with the powerful narrative of sustainability and natural innovation, makes mycelium a compelling subject for investors, researchers, and the public. It taps into a collective desire for solutions that are both technologically advanced and deeply connected to the natural world.

Image Credit - by Pradejoniensis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nature's Own Manufacturing Plant

A highly appealing feature of mycelium from a sustainability viewpoint is its production process. As Dr Jones highlights, it is typically cultivated on substrates like by-products from forestry and farming, or even food scraps that might usually be incinerated or landfilled. This valorisation of waste streams is a core principle of the circular economy. Furthermore, unlike most industrial manufacturing processes that require significant energy inputs and heavy machinery, mycelium performs the most difficult tasks. Since it is a living entity, its growth is a natural, low-energy process, effectively acting as a self-assembling factory that builds complex structures from simple organic inputs.

Addressing the Material's Weaknesses

Despite its many advantages, mycelium is not without its challenges. The raw material’s high absorbency presents a challenge, Dr Jones warns. He explains that without an effective waterproof coating, the substance behaves like a sponge and can take on significant volumes of moisture. This property could compromise its structural integrity and performance in damp environments, making proper finishing and treatment essential for its use in applications like construction and fashion. Researchers and companies are actively developing non-toxic, biodegradable coatings and treatments to overcome this weakness, ensuring that the final products are durable and fit for purpose without sacrificing their environmental credentials.

The Question of Longevity

Another significant unknown is the long-term durability of mycelium-based materials. Because these products have not been manufactured or utilized at a large commercial volume for extended periods, there is a lack of comprehensive information regarding their expected lifespan. We do not yet know with certainty how they will perform over decades of use in a building, a car, or as a cherished handbag. Ongoing research aims to address this gap through accelerated ageing tests and long-term studies. Establishing a clear understanding of the material's lifespan is a critical step for gaining the trust of architects, engineers, and consumers, and for ensuring mycelium can fulfil its promise as a lasting solution.

Packaging that Disappears

Beyond the major sectors of construction, fashion, and food, entrepreneurs are finding a host of other uses for mycelium. Among the most promising applications is in the realm of packaging. Mycelium can be grown into custom-fit shapes, creating protective packaging that serves as a direct replacement for expanded polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam. This fungal packaging is fully biodegradable and suitable for home composting, decomposing in just a few weeks. It offers a perfect solution for shipping fragile goods, providing excellent cushioning properties without the centuries-long environmental impact of its plastic counterpart. Major companies are already exploring this technology to reduce their packaging waste.

Soundproofing with Spores

The unique physical structure of mycelium also renders it a superb material for acoustic insulation. The complex and porous network of fungal fibres is naturally effective at absorbing sound waves, reducing noise pollution in indoor spaces. Companies are now developing mycelium-based acoustic panels that can be installed on walls and ceilings in offices, recording studios, and homes. These panels not only offer superior sound-dampening performance but also add a unique, natural aesthetic to interior designs. As with other mycelium products, they are lightweight, fire-resistant, and completely biodegradable, presenting a healthy and sustainable alternative to synthetic acoustic foams.

A Market Rooted in Growth

While sourcing precise statistics for this burgeoning mycelium sector remains challenging, its rapid expansion is undeniably boosting the more extensive worldwide fungi market. Research from the Imarc Group projects this market will climb to $90.4 billion by the year 2028, a substantial jump from its $63 billion valuation in 2022. This impressive growth trajectory reflects the increasing commercialisation of all aspects of fungi, from gourmet and medicinal mushrooms to the industrial applications of mycelium. As awareness grows and technology matures, the economic value of this hidden kingdom is set to become an increasingly significant part of the global bioeconomy.

An Organism for a New Age

Mycelium is more than just a novel material; it represents a fundamental shift in how we think about production and consumption. It offers a model where materials are grown, not extracted, and where the end of a product's life is the beginning of a fresh biological cycle. By transforming industrial waste into valuable resources, this remarkable organism provides tangible solutions to the challenges of pollution, resource depletion, and climate change. From the walls that provide shelter to the apparel we wear and the meals we consume, the hidden network of fungi is quietly weaving itself into the very structure of a more sustainable and resilient future.