Mycelium

Material category: Fungal

Process: Grown

Product application: Acoustic murals, Packaging

Year of development: 2022

Phase: Experimental

Material information:

A mycelium is a network of fungal threads or hyphae. Mycelia often grow underground but can also thrive in other places such as rotting tree trunks. A single spore can develop into a mycelium. Mycelia are of vital importance to the soil. They break down organic material, making its raw materials available again for use in the ecosystem. On top of this, 92% of plant families interact with fungi. Mycelium can be an interesting material for packaging. It’s biodegradable and healthy for the soil.

We did some first experiments with mycelium by incorporating organic waste from our project Philia, Bio-plant into the substrate. It has the ability to absorb the nutrients and naturally decompose. We explored the possibilities of several surface finishes within this material.