{"id":166606,"date":"2025-08-21T07:35:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T05:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=166606"},"modified":"2025-08-20T10:55:59","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T08:55:59","slug":"biotechnology-brings-mycelium-based-materials-to-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/biotechnology-brings-mycelium-based-materials-to-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Biotechnology brings mycelium-based materials to market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

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\u00a9 dvulikaia\/stock.adobe.com<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

In modern society, both producers and consumers are looking for socially responsible ways to reduce damage to the environment. Bioeconomy innovation in material manufacture is a promising path forward. The work of the EU-funded MY-FI<\/a> project, highlighted in the \u2018Future of textiles\u2019 Results Pack<\/a>, brought together a consortium of scientists, manufacturers and market specialists to produce high-quality next-generation material with low environmental cost.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making the most of fungi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most materials used in contemporary clothing \u2013 such as cotton, linen, wool and leather \u2013 are plant or animal-based, and a large number are synthetic or fossil-based. The resources used to produce these materials are costly, and the processes for treating them can have negative impacts on the environment. As an alternative to these conventional materials, one grown with mycelium offers an attractive array of characteristics. Fungi grow in branching structures called hyphae, which are composed mainly of chitin<\/a> but also include glucans and proteins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These components form a fibrous and interconnected network that gives mycelium its structural strength and versatility. Like cellulose – a polysaccharide commonly used in textiles – chitin is a non-toxic, biodegradable material, and together with glucans and proteins, it contributes to mycelium’s adaptability and potential as a sustainable biomaterial. The chemistry of fungi presents exciting possibilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As project coordinator Annalisa Moro<\/strong> explains: \u201cMycelium fibres are not processed through techniques such as weaving or knitting, but they are in fact grown together \u2013 through biotechnological means \u2013 as a cohesive and structured fully biofabricated raw material resulting in a novel materials\u2019 class.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Innovative biotechnologies and the circular economy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

MY-FI employed two fermentation processes for growing mycelium. Dynamic liquid fermentation uses stirred tank reactors to grow the fibres. Following an alkaline process, a solid is removed, yielding a flexible and semi-transparent material. On the contrary, surface liquid fermentation begins with a substrate on top of which the fungi grow under specific conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the material has been harvested and dried, what remains are soft white sheets of pure mycelium. Growing mycelium fibres in this way presents many ecological advantages. The fermentation processes can use as feedstocks different side-streams from the agro-food industry or even other industries, such as textile residues and spent grains from breweries, thus contributing to intersectoral circularity. Also, the fermentation processes produce minimal CO2<\/sub> emissions and require limited energy. Since fermentation can be managed locally, nearshoring of production is feasible, reducing transportation costs and enabling shorter supply chains. With these encouraging results, MY-FI sees market adaptation in the near future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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According to Moro<\/strong>: \u201cThe Surface Liquid Fermentation process, developed by SQIM<\/a>, is the most promising method established during the project. Its implementation at an industrial scale is and will continue being the focus of the coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Material characteristics and applications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mycelium-based next-generation materials are smooth, durable and high-performing. They make an ideal alternative to leather in high-end fashion products, such as wallets, belts, handbags, footwear and accessories. The nature of the material also lends itself well to certain automotive features, such as cushions, headrests and steering wheels. MY-FI\u2019s research into biofabrication is only the beginning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moro<\/strong> shares: \u201cLooking more broadly at the role of fungi in the bioeconomy, there are virtually no limits to their potential applications. Fungi can be employed across numerous sectors, including pharmaceuticals, bioremediation and agriculture, among others.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

High-quality mycelium-based materials are beginning to enter the market. Made from fully biodegradable raw materials that exploit low-value side-streams, MY-FI\u2019s innovations are the start of a green transformation in fashion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In modern society, both producers and consumers are looking for socially responsible ways to reduce damage to the environment. Bioeconomy innovation in material manufacture is a promising path forward. The work of the EU-funded MY-FI project, highlighted in the \u2018Future of textiles\u2019 Results Pack, brought together a consortium of scientists, manufacturers and market specialists to produce high-quality next-generation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":166629,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"With the potential to transform multiple sectors, innovative biofabrication processes produce raw fully bio-based materials made from fungi","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572],"tags":[5838,22614,5796,10416,16171,19092,12468],"supplier":[5585,7768],"class_list":["post-166606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bio-based","tag-bioeconomy","tag-biofeedstocks","tag-biotechnology","tag-circulareconomy","tag-fermentation","tag-fungalmycelium","tag-textiles","supplier-european-union","supplier-horizon-2020"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166606"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166606\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166606"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=166606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}