Sustainable Material Research
Mushroom Leather
10/19/2023
A sustainable material that I have been interested in using is mushroom leather, an alternative to the plastic leathers and animal leathers that are typically used in the fashion industry. The material is made from mycelium, the vegetative part of a fungus, and its production requires very little chemicals and water. From what I have read online, the material can be described as being flexible and lightweight. With it advertising itself as a more sustainable leather alternative, mushroom leather has been mostly used in fashion products such as hand bags, shoes, and wallets. Sometime in 2001, the luxury brand, Hermes , came out with a travel bag made with the material. In terms of where you can source the material, there seems be some level of inaccessibility when it comes to actually buying the material from suppliers. As of now, the material appear to be mostly used by luxury brands and less so by small businesses and independent artisans. I was able to find one supplier, MuSkin-(https://lifematerials.eu/shop/muskin-cruelty-free-and-oil-free-vegan-leatherette/). While the prices range more on the expensive side, depending on the size and whether there are no defects, it makes sense considering how new this material is and the means to make it. I would like to use this material if it fits with my final project idea. I imagine using it as topper or a cover to some kind of enclosure.