Mycelium-based biomimetic composite structures as a sustainable leather alternative

Fungi, the main destructors of bio-waste, are opening up a new field for bio-based materials that contribute to a more eco-friendly future. In the fashion industry, using mycelium as a substitute for leather seems particularly promising. However, research has not yet been able to imitate the properties of leather. To this end, the mycelium of various white rot fungi (Fomes fomentarius, Pleurotus eryngii and Trametes versicolor and, as a control, the brown rot fungus Fomitopsis pinicola) was characterized. The biomimetic techno-pull approach was used to find suitable reinforcements like needle felts or woven fabrics made from regenerated cellulose fibres for the mycelium that increases tensile strength. Two methods to produce composite materials were tested: mycelial pulp grown on a liquid medium and mycelium grown directly on a reinforcement soaked with the same liquid. Overall, mechanical characteristics from purely cultured mycelium will not necessarily reflect the same characteristics of the fungus in an embedded fibre reinforcement. Nevertheless, both methods have resulted in promising materials, with F. fomentarius pulp and T. versicolor on needle felt, outperforming the tensile strength of artificial leather and Reishi™ from MycoWorks.