The fungal heroes we sporely need
‘mycoschoen’ by Kristel Peters
For shoe designer Kristel Peters, mycelium (the 'main body' of most fungi) is a sustainable material. Mycelium can be grown on organic waste like wood, hemp, flax, forming a light composite. These composites can even be further processed to resemble leather, shifting away from dependence on the unsustainable livestock industry and the need for toxic chemicals used to tan leather.
Indonesian company Mycotech is one of the front runners in the production of these materials and has produced mycelium leather watch straps that are already on the market.
Jae Rhim Lee sees mycelium in a totally different light. Lee is the CEO of funeral startup Coeio, Inc., a company that produces a burial suit made from organic cotton embedded with mycelium from specially cultivated mushrooms, offering a new option for those seeking for a 'green' burial.
The mycelia hold a whole host of enzymes that could contain potential future uses too. Novozymes is working on extracting enzymes that allow mushrooms to break down and consume tough materials, and using them to break down tough laundry stains. Finding the most effective enzyme to remove pesky stains could lead to better, biodegradable detergents that work at lower temperatures and use less energy per load.
The future of fungi is certainly an exciting one. These understudied organisms could have tricks up their sleeves that we can borrow in our fight against some of humanity's biggest challenges.
