Tag Archives: mushroom

Why is Mycelium Nature’s Sustainable Hero in Building Materials?

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Mycelium, an intricate mesh of fungal filamentous cells known as hyphae, is formed by fungi across a broad spectrum of organic substrates. Mycelium, known for durability and eco-friendliness, is ideal for creating daily-use products, offering resilience and sustainability for designers aiming to craft durable, environmentally responsible items with minimal ecological impact.

Designer: Interesting Times Gang and OBOS

What are the advantages of using Mycelium?

Mycelium, the root structure of fungi, is gaining attention in product design for several reasons:

• Sustainable Material

Mycelium is an eco-friendly material and an alternative to plastic or foam. It’s important to note that mycelium-based products are renewable, biodegradable, and can be combined with agricultural waste products to create composite materials.

Designer: FirstBuild

Mella is an automated chamber designed for effortless cultivation of various crops at home. Utilizing smart technology, Mella regulates environmental conditions to ensure optimal growth and harvest. With features like a refillable water basin, LED lights, and WiFi compatibility, Mella simplifies the cultivation process for all types of crops, making home gardening convenient and accessible.

• Flexible

Mycelium is a flexible material that can be grown and molded into various shapes and forms. It can be used to create numerous products, ranging from furniture to packaging.

Designers: Diego Mata and NOS Design

The Grow It Yourself Helmet is a sustainable DIY helmet crafted from mushrooms that actually grows on its own! Created by NOS Design, this innovative helmet is made from mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi. It’s 100% compostable, breathable, and impact-resistant, reducing the need for plastics. Partnering with Polybion, the helmet utilizes Fungicel, a mycelium-based material that provides cushioning upon impact. This biodegradable, low-cost alternative promotes sustainability and engages users in a meaningful DIY activity, offering a practical and eco-friendly solution.

• Highly Durable

Mycelium products are strong and durable, their strength and durability depend on their conditions of growth and processing techniques.

• Thermal and Acoustic Insulation

Mycelium has excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties and finds its application in the construction and packaging industry, where insulation is essential.

Designer: Mogu

The Foresta System by Mogu is a groundbreaking collection of sustainable modular acoustic panels. Crafted from a unique blend of mycelium and upcycled textile materials, these panels offer organic yet durable noise-reduction solutions for spaces like offices and restaurants. Recognized for its eco-conscious design, Foresta integrates mycelium into its build. With a 100% circular design ethos and advanced wood processing technologies, Foresta combines elegance with innovation, setting a new standard in acoustic panel design.

Designer: Jonas Edvard

Jonas Edvard’s Myx Sail / Floor is a groundbreaking sound-absorbing panel, merging mushroom mycelium, hemp, and willow in a 1m x 1m design. Collaborating with nature, he explores mycelium’s flexibility and rigidity within a modular mold, envisioning its seamless integration into living spaces. With a focus on sound absorption, Edvard’s research highlights the viability of mycelium in reducing environmental impact while inspiring a harmonious relationship between design and nature.

• Biodegradable

Mycelium is a biodegradable material that breaks down naturally at the end of its lifecycle thus reducing its environmental pollution.

• Low Carbon Footprint

Growing mycelium demands fewer resources, it does not release a lot of greenhouse gases which makes it better for the environment.

• Material and Product Innovation

Another advantage is that mycelium can be combined with other natural materials like hemp or straw to create stronger composite materials with enhanced properties.

Designer: Emilie Burfeind

Sneature is a biodegradable shoe crafted with waste materials and 3D knitting technology. Designed by Burfeind, this sustainable sneaker offers an eco-conscious alternative to traditional footwear. Featuring a protein-based 3D knit membrane made from dog hair and a mushroom mycelium sole composed of local vegetable waste, Sneature prioritizes sustainability and customization. With water-repellent properties and a second-skin feel, Sneature combines style with environmental responsibility.

Designer: Stephanie Singer

MYC is a sustainable disposable grill made from mycelium and was created by industrial design student Stephanie Singer, MYC offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional aluminum grills. After use, MYC can be left to biodegrade and enrich the soil. With a grate made of bamboo sticks and dried corn cobs as fuel, MYC promotes sustainability without compromising convenience.

• Organic Aesthetic

Mycelium-based materials can offer a unique, organic aesthetic with a natural look, making them attractive to product designers.

Designer: Sebastian Cox with Ninela Ivanova

Sebastian Cox’s Mycelium pendant lamps redefine production by growing rather than being manufactured. Partnering with researcher Ninela Ivanova, Cox utilizes mycelium, the vegetative part of mushrooms, and scrap willow wood to create these uniquely rustic lamps. Each lamp takes 4-12 weeks to grow and is entirely compostable, showcasing the fusion of natural elements in sustainable design.

What are the disadvantages of using Mycelium?

Although mycelium is a sustainable material, it faces some challenges

• No Standardization

As mycelium is a natural product, its growth is influenced by temperature and humidity, making it difficult to achieve a standardized and consistent product. Note that mycelium growth takes longer and is not suitable for mass production or time-sensitive projects.

Designers: Myceen

‘B-Wise’ by Myceen is a sustainable lampshade crafted entirely from mycelium. This innovative design grows into its unique shape in just 5 weeks, using organic waste materials. With a rugged appearance reminiscent of leather, mycelium offers eco-friendly properties and versatile applications, even extending to architecture and space exploration.

• Moisture Sensitivity

Mycelium-based materials are susceptible to moisture, which can impact their structural strength and lifespan, potentially leading to product degradation if not stored correctly.

• Limited Applications

Mycelium-based products have limited applications and may not be suitable for items exposed to high temperatures or humidity. Furthermore, mycelium is yet to gain widespread market acceptance.

Designer: RMIT University

Fungi could become a game-changer in fireproofing homes. Researchers at a Melbourne university have developed fire-retardant mycelium sheets that offer insulation and can be applied over flammable surfaces. These bioengineered sheets, derived from fungi, are both sustainable and environmentally friendly, emitting natural water and carbon dioxide. The aim is to enhance fire safety in buildings while minimizing environmental impact.

• Costly Material

The costs associated with research and development contribute to the expense of producing mycelium-based products, making them economically unfeasible for certain applications.

Why is Mycelium becoming a popular construction material?

Mycelium-based building materials are crafted via myco-composite manufacturing which blends mycelium with agricultural waste such as straw, sawdust, or hemp. This mixture is poured into molds and left to settle for several days. During this time, the mycelium digests the agricultural waste, bonding with it to create a sturdy, cohesive material. Once fully grown and solidified, the material is removed from the molds, and ready for construction use.

Although this eco-friendly solution is still under study for its strength and durability compared to conventional options like bricks, mycelium finds applications in insulation, soundproofing, and lightweight construction blocks.

Designer: The Living

“Alive” is a groundbreaking architectural prototype by The Living. This innovative structure utilizes probiotic materials, showcasing the future of sustainable architecture. Crafted from mycelium, the vegetative part of mushrooms, it offers a glimpse into a new era of eco-friendly design. Its organic, porous construction provides a habitat for various microbes while facilitating interaction between humans and microorganisms. Made from renewable luffa fibers, this prototype embodies sustainability and adaptability. “Alive” is not just a concept for the future – it’s a practical solution for creating healthier, more environmentally friendly spaces today.

Designer: Pierre Oskam and Max Latour

Urban Reef is a 3D-printed mycelium-based structure designed to enhance biodiversity in cities. Developed by a Netherlands-based company, this innovative project aims to stimulate water circularity and support diverse ecosystems within urban environments. Utilizing porous materials like ceramics and mycelium composites, Urban Reef creates an ideal habitat for fungi and vegetation to thrive, promoting sustainable urban ecosystems without human intervention.

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Spirituality and Sustainable Innovation Unite in Architectural Splendor at the MycoTemple

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In a world marked by rapid urbanization and the relentless march of concrete and steel, a unique sanctuary has emerged, standing as a testament to the power of spirituality and sustainable innovation. Côme Di Meglio’s MycoTemple is a transformative living structure that harnesses the astonishing capabilities of mycelium, creating a biodegradable domed space for physical and spiritual transformation.

Designer: Côme Di Meglio

At first glance, MycoTemple is a marvel of art and architecture, a five-meter-wide domed structure that seems to rise from the Earth itself. However, what truly sets it apart is its construction material: mycelium, the intricate underground network of fungi that has the remarkable ability to grow structures. Concealed within this mycelium marvel is a hand-carved wooden structure, hidden from view and only revealed as the mycelium gradually biodegrades over time, returning to the soil from where it came.

Stepping into MycoTemple is like stepping into another realm. Its thick, mycelium-based walls insulate visitors from the clamor of the outside world, creating a serene cocoon of tranquility. Within the semi-darkness, one becomes enveloped by an intriguing material, rich in textures and colors. Some areas feel rough, reminiscent of minerals, while others are soft and velvety, akin to the gentle touch of skin. Every square centimeter is a microscopic landscape meant to be explored, contemplated, and caressed. The immersive scent of the underwood establishes an intimate connection between visitors and the environment, enhancing the sensory experience.

The sensory immersion within this living organism, crafted into an architectural wonder, triggers a heightened state of awareness and a profound sense of presence. MycoTemple invites us to delve deep within ourselves, tapping into something primal and ancient that resides within each of us.

Beyond its artistic and architectural allure, MycoTemple serves a higher purpose as a space designed to foster a diverse range of collective experiences and communal events. It is a place for gatherings, concerts, and quiet moments of contemplation. Di Meglio envisions the dome as a vessel for emotions and dreams, and he notes, “All the emotions and dreams birthed in the dome will nurture this porous material.”

More than just a space for individual introspection, MycoTemple is designed to nurture our essential connection to the living world. It also serves as a place to strengthen our bonds with others. The shape of the dome itself harks back to ancestral dwellings, reminiscent of the caves where early humans sought shelter from external dangers. It’s a form that has been embraced by countless cultures around the world in sacred architecture—places where communities would gather in circles to share stories, ignite shared imaginations, and weave narratives that solidify their sense of belonging to a greater whole.

The gradual biodegradation of MycoTemple is an integral part of its aesthetic experience. It invites visitors to return throughout the seasons, providing an opportunity to witness the passage of time and the organic process of decay and renewal. It’s a reminder that all things are in a constant state of change, and it invites us to reflect on our transient existence.

The entire process of cultivating the mycelium, from its inception to the completion of MycoTemple, unfolded in Di Meglio’s artist studio in Marseille. Utilizing a low-tech approach and repurposed industrial waste, particularly sawdust, the design team grew the architectural-sized dome segments. This exploration of bio-material innovation showcases the potential of sustainable materials and practices in architecture.

MycoTemple is a testament to the power of innovation, sustainability, and spirituality coming together in harmony. It challenges our preconceptions about the permanence of structures and encourages us to reconnect with nature. As we stand in awe of this living sanctuary, we are reminded of the transformative potential that lies at the intersection of art, architecture, and the natural world. MycoTemple is not just a physical structure; it’s a journey of self-discovery and a celebration of the Earth’s remarkable regenerative capabilities.

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This sustainable 100% mycelium lampshade was grown into its unique shape in just 5 weeks

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We can grow our own food, sometimes we grow our furniture too, and now Estonia-based Myceen is paving the way for being able to even grow your own lampshades! Unveiled this year at the Dutch Design Week, ‘B-Wise’ is a uniquely grungy-looking lampshade that’s actually made from mycelium – the vegetative part of a mushroom or fungus that often grows underneath the surface while we just notice the mushroom caps that make their way through the ground or tree bark.

The pendant lamp, which measures an impressive 60cm wide, comes with a grungy appearance that is unique to each lamp. To make each lamp, the designers at Myceen take an empty mold and fill it with mycelium along with waste organic material from the timber and agricultural industry including sawdust and straw for the mycelium to feed on. In a matter of just 5 weeks, the mycelium grows into the shape of the mold and is then de-molded and dehydrated to prevent any further growth. With the appearance of leather, the B-Wise lamp’s shade is then ready for further treatment. The rest of the shade is made from a plywood and aluminum frame, complete with a ceramic socket and a lighting cable!

Designers: Myceen

This isn’t the first time mycelium’s been used as a natural alternative to other commercial materials. In fact, Sebastian Cox and Ninela Ivanova worked on similar smaller pendant lamps with a more traditional-looking design that could take anywhere between 4-12 weeks to grow.

With its unique ability to naturally grow into shapes while being relatively strong thanks to its intertwining fibers, mycelium is proving to be an exciting material to work with in the future. Not only is it obviously a great plant-based alternative to leather (given its rubbery, leathery texture), it’s emissions-free, compostable/biodegradable, and has interesting applications outside fashion too, including architecture, with NASA considering using mycelium to make sustainable housing on Mars!

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This tabletop ‘mushroom growing kit’ lets you harvest all kinds of exotic organic mushrooms at home

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Ever tried a Lion’s Mane Mushroom? How about Shimeji? Pink Oyster? Surely you must have tried Cordyceps. No?? That’s because exotic mushrooms aren’t easy to grow. Sure, button mushrooms, creminis, portobellos, they’re all easy to come by. Heck, even oyster mushrooms are now somewhat mainstream… however, rare varieties of edible mushrooms aren’t that easy to grow industrially. That’s where Shrooly comes in. Designed as a tabletop incubator, Shrooly lets you grow rare varieties of mushrooms right in your home. You can choose from over 12 different mushroom species, and it takes roughly a week for the mushrooms to grow, after which you can harvest them for meals.

Designer: Shrooly Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $299 $449 (33% off). Hurry, only 19/75 left!

Using the Shrooly is about as simple as using a Nespresso – just put a pod in and watch the machine do the rest of the work for you. With Shrooly, however, the pod is a brick-shaped mass that contains the mushroom spores and growth medium. All you do is make a slit in the pod for the mushrooms to grow out of, add the pod into the Shrooly, press the start button, and watch the magic unfold over the next week.

The Shrooly works a lot like the autonomous planters we’ve talked about on this platform, but is specifically designed for mushrooms. Fungi are a lot more different than regular plants, and they have very specific growing requirements. They don’t need water, but they need moisture. They can grow in the dark too, but a little light helps brighten things up. Moreover, mushrooms propagate using spores, which are tiny particles that the Shrooly actively contains to ensure they don’t spread around in your house.

Everything happens within the Shrooly device. The mushroom grows within its controlled microclimate, and you can simply pop the glass side panel out to harvest your mushrooms when they’re ready. Once harvested, just discard the pod and add a new one in for a fresh harvest next week!

Designed to fit on most kitchen countertops, Shrooly helps demystify the mushroom-cultivating process. Founders David and Sam were shocked to realize that the mushroom supplements they were taking hardly had any mushroom in them. Determined to take matters into their own hands, they built the Shrooly in the hopes of letting regular people reclaim mushroom production. Shrooly’s simple design allows you to grow various varieties of mushrooms right at home with zero expertise.

The gadget monitors mushroom growth on its own, and supplies water vapor as needed based on the variety you’re growing. You can monitor the growth every day either by looking at the mushrooms through the glass chamber, or even track the growth on an app when you’re away from your Shrooly. It also houses a mini air purifier to ensure spores from the Shrooly don’t make their way out of the glass container.

Each Shrooly comes with a choice between 12 different mushroom species, with the creators adding new variants every day. Whether you’re looking for mushrooms as a meat replacement, as a delicacy, or even as a medicinal/health supplement, Shrooly’s catalog of mushroom varieties is expansive and goes well beyond the basic mushrooms you find in your everyday supermarket. Looking to grow your own mushrooms, Shrooly even sells an AnyShroom pod that contains the perfect growth medium for your mushrooms. Just add your own liquid culture to the pod and place it inside the Shrooly and you can be a fun guy grow your own fungi! The Shrooly starts at $299 and begins shipping in March 2023.

Click Here to Buy Now: $299 $449 (33% off). Hurry, only 20/74 left!

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This wonder box lets you easily grow nature’s miracle food right inside your home

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Building your diet and your life around plant-forward meals isn’t exactly easy, especially when you take special care in selecting where the ingredients come from or how they’re harvested. In an ideal world, we’d all grow our own organic food in our pesticide-free yards, but few actually have the luxury of free space in the first place. Growing vegetables and herbs indoors is actually gaining momentum these days, but those aren’t the only things you can cultivate inside your house. Mushrooms are relatively easier to grow, especially indoors, but getting the conditions right isn’t that straightforward and painless as well. Fortunately, Shrooly has your back and makes growing mushrooms not only dead simple but also interesting and attractive as well.

Designer: Shrooly

Click Here to Buy Now: $293 $438 (33% off). YD readers get free growing pods worth $50. Hurry, only 5 left!

Although some people might balk after learning about its classification (spoiler alert: it’s a fungus), mushrooms are one of nature’s mysteries and wonders. They can pop up almost anywhere, especially in dark environments, which has become the origin of some idiomatic expressions. Not only are the edible variants great sources of nutrition and flavor, they can also have therapeutic or even medicinal benefits if you know how to grow and use them. Despite their ubiquity, getting your hands on quality mushrooms is ironically difficult unless you grow them, and this unassuming minimalist appliance makes that happen almost instantly.

Shrooly makes growing mushrooms as easy as putting a prepared pod inside the box and turning it on. While many indoor farms take weeks to harvest your produce, Shrooly can grow mushrooms in days. The humble appliance takes all of the guesswork and monitoring out of the equation so that you can just watch your mushrooms grow day by day. And when you yourself have grown into some sort of a mushroom expert, you can easily take control of the whole process as well through Shrooly’s mobile app. Whether you want more humidity or more light, the settings are just a few flicks and taps away.

For Complete Beginners – It is a smart device that allows you to enjoy every aspect of the mushroom-growing process with little to no effort.

Grow Your Own Superfood at Home – Shiitake, Reishi, Lion’s mane, or Enoki, are just some of the numerous mushroom varieties you can easily grow at home.

Part of Shrooly’s magic is the ready-to-grow pods available for purchase. A single block can grow two harvests of mushrooms, which are often three times more than what would have been able to buy from the market. Presuming, of course, you can even buy the mushrooms you want from the market, which often isn’t the case. In contrast, Shrooly pods offer a wide variety of edible mushrooms, including pink oyster and shitake, as well as medicinal breeds like Reishi, Turkey Tail, and Lion’s Mane. The latter group is definitely not something you’ll be able to pick from a supermarket shelf. And going with the sustainability theme, the pod blocks are fully organic, pesticide-free, and made from 100% recycled materials.

Shrooly also has one other special trait that isn’t directly related to the use of mushrooms. The box itself is beautiful, with a minimalist design that will fit anywhere at home, even in the middle of your living room. Its large window is made to showcase the mushroom that grows bigger each day that passes, sparking interest and anticipation. It will definitely be a conversation starter that could tide your family and friends over to a healthier diet.

Convincing people to try more plant-forward diets requires giving them scents and flavors they never knew they wanted and making it easier to acquire these sources as well. Why should you settle for frozen mushrooms which came from who knows where and were grown with questionable methods when you can grow your own batch in seven days and have more than twice the amount? With Shrooly, you can get all the mushrooms you need when you need them, even the ones you can’t even buy in groceries, and all for a $299 starting price that quickly pays for itself in savings.

Click Here to Buy Now: $293 $438 (33% off). YD readers get free growing pods worth $50. Hurry, only 5 left!

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Mushroom-based Designs so sustainable + economical that they’ll convert you into Mycelium advocates!

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Mushroom has recently gained immense popularity as a sustainable and economical material for building almost everything – from housing structures to even lamps! Or more specifically, the vegetative part of mushroom called ‘Mycelium‘ has. It is the thread-like main body of a fungus–of certain mushroom-producing fungi on agricultural wastes, and it’s vegan as well!  Biodegradable and low-cost this delightful material can be used to design and produce a whole range of objects! And, we’ve curated a whole collection of these sustainable designs to convert you into ‘Team Mushroom’ for good. From a sustainable DIY helmet built from mushrooms to a mycelium-based grill design – these intriguing designs will have you wondering about the curious world of mushrooms. Can you envision a future where all your everyday objects are built from mushrooms? Can mushrooms have a purpose beyond simply jazzing up your stir fry? I think so.

The construction industry emits 4 times more CO2 than the aviation industry and that is enough proof they must focus on ecodesign to reduce their colossal impact especially when sustainable materials, like mycelium composites, already exist! This material is created by growing mycelium–the thread-like main body of a fungus–of certain mushroom-producing fungi on agricultural wastes. The mycelia are composed of a network of filaments called “hyphae,” which are natural binders and they also are self-adhesive to the surface they grow on. The entire process is based on biological elements that also help in upcycling waste and reducing dependency on toxic fossil fuels. Mycelium composite manufacturing can also be a catalyst in developing new bioindustries in rural areas, generating sustainable economic growth while creating new jobs. Even NASA is currently researching using mycelium to build sustainable habitable dwellings on Mars – if we have to move into a mushroom house, might as well test it on Earth first, right? The construction industry has to act now if they want to build in/a future.

Mycelium, or the vegetative part of a mushroom, has found itself in the limelight for being a cheap, sustainable, and vegan alternative to suede and leather. If treated correctly, it looks and feels just like leather, offering a cruelty-free and biodegradable alternative that doesn’t have as much of a carbon footprint either. Teaming up with researcher Ninela Ivanova, British designer Sebastian Cox’s “Mycelium + Timber” examines the viability of mycelium as a potential material in commercial furniture design. The mycelium fibers are bound to scrap strips of willow wood, which provides the base and fodder for the fungus to grow. The result is the absolute antithesis of mass production. Designed in part by nature, each lamp is unique, has its own aesthetic, and is beautiful in its imperfections.

This mushroom helmet will grow on you as it grows. Yes, read this slowly and carefully: this mushroom helmet will grow on you as it grows. “What do you mean?!” you say and I assure you that statement is not wrong, there is an explanation for it. The Grow It Yourself Helmet is a sustainable product made from mycelium which is the vegetative part of a fungus. Mycelium is the thready hyphae that are tightly woven into mass branch-like networks making it a strong sustainable material. The network of filaments are natural binders and they also are self-adhesive to the surface they grow on. The entire process is based on biological elements that help in upcycling waste. The process of making this helmet also gets the kids involved in a meaningful activity that teaches them about sustainability and safety.

In researching fireproof materials to build a grill, Singer found mycelium, a fireproof, vegetative part of a fungus that’s safe and edible for humans. Mycelium hosts an array of properties that make it the ideal choice with which to build a disposable grill. Inexpensive and very easy to grow, mycelium is an accessible, sustainable alternative building material that’s water repellent, naturally insulating, and entirely biodegradable. After cultivating her own lot of mycelium, Singer constructed prototypes of MYC and envisioned the disposable grill lining the shelves of convenience stores and gas stations to bring the choice of sustainable disposable grills to the masses. Following the use of an MYC grill, instead of searching for the nearest garbage can, grillers can simply cut up and leave MYC at the campsite to biodegrade and fertilize the earth.

Developed by Bolt Threads and Designed by Chester Wallace, the Driver Bag is a debut for the one-of-a-kind mushroom leather. The bag serves two broad purposes. It’s design and styling make it ideal for owning and using in your daily life. The Mylo comes with a unique brown patina, reminiscent of distressed leather, and is just as resilient and stylish. Along with the black canvas trims, you’ve got a bag that looks as good as (if not better than) the next one, boasting two internal and three external pockets to segregate your items. The bag’s second purpose is to disrupt the leather market with an alternative that’s ecologically sustainable, cruelty-free, and can be produced in days instead of years, without the material waste and moral conundrum of using animal hides or toxic chemicals.

The Seventh Generation Beam is a customizable, subscription-based, plastic-free set that is designed to be the all-in-one sustainable oral care kit. The aim is to create 100% plastic-free packaging. The challenge is to rebrand a traditional product line and redesign the packaging system to be fully sustainable while utilizing no plastic or bioplastic. Biomaterials like tin, wood pulp, plant cellulose, food waste, grass, algae, and mushrooms are being considered. It will all be sustainably sourced, preferably materials that are at the end of their lives and can be composed into biomass to regenerate depleted farming soils.

This hive is elevated to mimic that of a natural hive. Placed 2 meters above the ground it protects the bees from critters and invaders that may want to steal honey or cause distress to the bees. It also allows for the bees to enter the hive from the bottom, which allows them to create comb with gravity as they would naturally. Second, the new hive’s material composition promotes a healthy climate while also keeping external sound disturbance to a minimum. It consists of cork, wood, and mycelium (a material made from mushrooms).

Created as a part of the Wallpaper* Re-Made project, these bio-composite containers are modeled to look like bento-boxes with a modular design that stacks up as your order increases, resulting in one larger box rather than multiple smaller boxes. This unique format provides a useful alternative to plastic containers (as it’s waterproof and leakproof too) and eventually reduces components by removing elements like lids (since the containers stack over and cover each other). Materials used to craft the packaging meet a range of criteria too, being heatproof, lightweight, recyclable, and insulating. The bio-composite polymer used to mold the containers themselves is made from cocoa-bean shells (a by-product of the cacao industry) by designer Paula Nerlich. The outer bag that carries the containers is made from all-natural materials too, including mycelium to insulate the interiors, a bioplastic known as Nuatan to provide a robust outer shell, a natural leather derived from pineapple leaves called Piñatex for the outer container’s lid, and Lexcell, a neoprene-free natural rubber used for the handles and straps on the bag and the Bento containers.

The Abacus’ most impressive feat is its commitment towards showing that tech can be sustainable too. In a world that’s literally drowning in e-waste because people want slim products, and slim products are notoriously difficult to recycle efficiently, the Abacus was made with a very clear cradle-to-grave strategy. As an all-in-one PC, the Abacus has a 63% lesser footprint than a desktop, and with a 31kWh/year power consumption rating, it’s about as energy-efficient as a lightbulb. The Abacus’ internal components are entirely reusable, and its outer body is made to be fully biodegradable. Moreover, even the product packaging is crafted from mushrooms, allowing it to easily degrade into the soil when inevitably thrown away. Who knew great tech could be cheap, energy-efficient, AND eco-friendly?! The tech giants could surely learn a lesson or two, don’t you think?

Created as an “experimental science collaboration that explores the design and functionalities of novel, bio-based, microbially grown materials”, Korvaa uses a fungal mycelium for the foam cups, fungi film as a leather substitute to cover the foam cups, and microbial bioplastics for the outer body. Designed to explore the possibility of using new, bio-based materials to create regular consumer products, the headphones were perhaps the perfect playground. They have size, weight, and ergonomic constraints… plus they require parts that are both hard as well as soft. Korvaa required multiple iterations to arrive at the materials that were finally used in its construction. Some parts needed to be cultured and grown in a mold, while others needed to be freeze-dried to be worked with.

This automated mushroom chamber uses smart technology to grow and harvest your own mushrooms at home!

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Mella is a household mushroom fruiting chamber that uses smart technology to automatically grow and harvest a variety of mushrooms.

Over the past couple of years, our homes have become test kitchens for everything from colorful sourdough bread to dalgona coffee. Now it’s time to make some counter space for an at-home smart mushroom fruiting chamber.

Mella, an innovative new kitchen appliance from FirstBuild, a co-creation community backed by GE appliances, uses smart technology to grow and harvest your own mushrooms at home.

Smart technology has made mealtime simpler than ever. With smart technology, we can program our appliances to do the hard parts for us. Mella’s automated programming brings just the right amount of fresh air and humidity into the fruiting chamber to allow mushrooms to mature at the right time and speed, growing into full-size, edible mushrooms. With automated technology running the show, seasoned mycelium harvesters and recreational growers can sit back and enjoy the show.

Located on the outside of Mella’s chamber, the water basin can easily be refilled to funnel in just the right amount of water to combine with fresh air and become humidity for optimal mushroom-growing conditions. Then, the hygrometer indicates the humidity levels inside the chamber so that users can always keep tabs on the best conditions for harvesting mushrooms. Four LED lights also pour light into the chamber to ensure the mushrooms receive the necessary amount. Finally, a WiFi-compatible program controller allows users to adjust Mella’s settings as they see fit to help mushrooms grow.

Summing up Mella in their own words, the team behind FirstBuild notes, “Made for those mad about mushrooms Mella controls and automates the inputs necessary to grow delicious, edible mushrooms in the comfort of your home.”

Designer: FirstBuild

 

A Mycelium grill design, made from edible fungus can be biodegraded and fertilizes the earth!

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MYC is a sustainable disposable grill made from mycelium, a biodegradable and fireproof vegetative part of a fungus that’s safe and edible for humans.

With the end of summer already closing in on us, camping is all the more popular and so are barbeques, which means the garbage is getting left behind once the grill’s off. Disposable grills allow barbeques to take place outdoors without the hassle of lugging around a portable one, but the familiar aluminum grills often get left behind at the site once the BBQ is finished. Industrial design student Stephanie Singer created MYC, a sustainable disposable grill made from fungal mycelium as an alternative to the aluminum disposable grill.

In researching fireproof materials to build her grill, Singer found mycelium, a fireproof, vegetative part of a fungus that’s safe and edible for humans. Mycelium hosts an array of properties that make it the ideal choice with which to build a disposable grill. Inexpensive and very easy to grow, mycelium is an accessible, sustainable alternative building material that’s water repellent, naturally insulating, and entirely biodegradable. After cultivating her own lot of mycelium, Singer constructed prototypes of MYC and envisioned the disposable grill lining the shelves of convenience stores and gas stations to bring the choice of sustainable disposable grills to the masses. Following the use of an MYC grill, instead of searching for the nearest garbage can, grillers can simply cut up and leave MYC at the campsite to biodegrade and fertilize the earth.

While mycelium constructs the chunk of MYC, Singer sought out additional accessories to make the grill operable. Discussing the various biodegradable materials used to build MYC, Singer says, “MYC consists of a bowl made of fungal mycelium, a grate made of bamboo sticks, and dried corn cobs as fuel. The product is available as a compact grill kit and is protected by a minimalist cardboard cover. Dried corn cobs are used as fuel, as these are a waste product in the field in EU agriculture when growing fodder corn. As soon as the embers are ready, the bamboo sticks can easily be placed in the bulges on the side to create a grate.”

Designer: Stephanie Singer

The post A Mycelium grill design, made from edible fungus can be biodegraded and fertilizes the earth! first appeared on Yanko Design.

These sustainable Mushroom lamps are actually grown into their funnel shapes, instead of being mass produced

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With its oddly rustic design aesthetic, Sebastian Cox’s Mycelium pendant lamps aren’t made… they’re grown.

Mycelium, or the vegetative part of a mushroom, has found itself in the limelight for being a cheap, sustainable, and vegan alternative to suede and leather. If treated correctly, it looks and feels just like leather, offering a cruelty-free and biodegradable alternative that doesn’t have as much of a carbon footprint either. Teaming up with researcher Ninela Ivanova, British designer Sebastian Cox’s “Mycelium + Timber” examines the viability of mycelium as a potential material in commercial furniture design. The mycelium fibers are bound to scrap strips of willow wood, which provides the base and fodder for the fungus to grow. The result is the absolute antithesis of mass production. Designed in part by nature, each lamp is unique, has its own aesthetic, and is beautiful in its imperfections.

The lamps take anywhere between 4-12 weeks to ‘grow’. The scrap willow wood is first sourced from Cox’s own woodland, and cut into fine strips before being woven into shape and placed inside a mold. The mold is then filled with a fungus called fomes fomentarius, which was cultivated using more scrap strips of wood. Inside the mold, the mycelium and wood fuse together, creating a unique type of composite material. “In our workshop, we don’t use composite wood materials because I’ve never been quite satisfied with the binding agent holding the wood together,” Cox said in an interview with Dezeen. “As a result, I’ve always had a kind of fantasy interest in ‘reinventing’ a type of MDF and finding new ways to bind wood fibers into either sheets or mounded forms, ideally without glue.” The resulting lamp is removed from the mold when it’s fully grown and is supplied with 2.5m of oatmeal round fabric braided cable. The entire Mycelium lamp is sustainably produced and entirely compostable.

“It’s not just about the fungus, it’s about the marriage of the two materials,” adds Ninela Ivanova, a researcher who collaborated with Cox over this project. “These two materials have a natural relationship in the woodland, so let’s see how we can exploit that.” The duo plan to continue their collaboration and are working on releasing a full collection of mycelium and wood composite products in the near future.

Designer: Sebastian Cox with Ninela Ivanova

This sustainable helmet is a DIY design made from mushrooms & grows on its own!

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This mushroom helmet will grow on you as it grows. Yes, read this slowly and carefully: this mushroom helmet will grow on you as it grows. “What do you mean?!” you say and I assure you that statement is not wrong, there is an explanation for it. The Grow It Yourself Helmet is a sustainable product made from mycelium which is the vegetative part of a fungus.

Mycelium is the thready hyphae that are tightly woven into mass branch-like networks making it a strong sustainable material. The network of filaments are natural binders and they also are self-adhesive to the surface they grow on. The entire process is based on biological elements that help in upcycling waste. The process of making this helmet also gets the kids involved in a meaningful activity that teaches them about sustainability and safety.”We have developed a helmet that can be made out of hay and Mycelium. It is 100% compostable, breathable, and impact resistant. The helmet reduces the use of plastics in a product that will be disposed of in a short time due to the child’s growth rate,” says the team at NOS Design. To further develop this design, NOS partnered with a company called Polybion which developed Fungicel (a patent that uses mycelium). This fungus grows like foam and therefore can provide cushioning at the time of impact.

This mushroom material is biodegradable, sustainable, and a low-cost alternative to materials while also possessing thermal and fire-resistant properties – in fact, mycelium is being used in the construction industry too as an alternative to cement which is responsible for 12% of the industry’s 39% contribution in the world’s carbon footprint. Mycelium composite manufacturing can also be a catalyst in developing new bioindustries in rural areas, generating sustainable economic growth while creating new jobs. NOS Design is known for its environmentally friendly products and this design blends sustainability with a DIY activity that rewards us with a product we can use every day.

Designers: Diego Mata and NOS Design