MycoWorks is a company making an alternative to leather from mycelium. Called Reishi, the material reacts in a similar way to the processes usually applied to leather in the manufacture of clothing: heat, glue, dye and beeswax – but being grown from fungus, it is of course not derived from animals so avoids the environmental impact of leather production.
The company uses what it calls Fine Mycelium to make the leather alternative, which is tightly woven in a triple-helix shape to mimick the natural structure of collagen – meaning that it matches the strength, appearance and durability of cowhide. Grown in California, Reishi is formed into sheets and finished at tanneries in Europe using a chrome-free process. The material was showcased for the first time at New York Fashion Week 2020.
further reading…
MycoWorks is a company making an alternative to leather from mycelium. Called Reishi, the material reacts in a similar way to the processes usually applied to leather in the manufacture of clothing: heat, glue, dye and beeswax – but being grown from fungus, it is of course not derived from animals so avoids the environmental impact of leather production.
The company uses what it calls Fine Mycelium to make the leather alternative, which is tightly woven in a triple-helix shape to mimick the natural structure of collagen – meaning that it matches the strength, appearance and durability of cowhide. Grown in California, Reishi is formed into sheets and finished at tanneries in Europe using a chrome-free process. The material was showcased for the first time at New York Fashion Week 2020.