Mushroom Leather Alternative
Diving deeping into the discussion of new sustainable materials and alternatives to animal-based solutions.
We believe Mushroom leather is particularly interesting and worth mentioning.
Find out more in the article below.
What is Mushroom Leather?
If you do not know what the mushroom leather alternative is just read further.
This innovative material is one of a vegan-friendly leather alternatives and you can craft it from mycelium.
Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus.
It is a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to animal leather.
The demand for mushroom leather is growing, as consumers become more aware of the environmental and ethical impacts of animal agriculture.
A number of companies are now producing mushroom leather, and we can expect to see even more companies entering the market in the years to come.
Benefits & features of Leather made from Mushrooms?
Beneficially, you can grow mycelium on a variety of substrates, including agricultural waste.
Furthermore, this also reduces the need for land and water.
Additionally, mushroom leather is also biodegradable and compostable, which means it does not contribute to pollution.
While being sustainable, mushroom leather is also cruelty-free.
It is not coming from animals, so it does not involve any animal suffering which is an important aspect for the outlook on fashion production.
This makes it a popular choice for vegans and animal rights activists.
Mushroom leather has a number of other advantages over animal leather.
It is strong and durable, and a great material to make a variety of products, including shoes, bags, and wallets.
Recommendations call the material to be soft and breathable, making it a comfortable material to wear.
How do companies produce Mushroom-based Leather alternatives?
Firstly, the production process for mushroom leather begins with choosing the substrate.
Choosing a Base
Mycelium grows on the base, which can consist of various materials like food or farming waste, wood pulp, or coffee grounds.
The choice of substrate depends mainly on how much is there, its cost, and if it works well with the mycelium.
If your team agrees on a great fitting foundation, you are ready for the next production step.
This usually involves sterilising the substrate to kill any harmful bacteria or mold.
Now, you will inoculate the substrate with the mycelium.
There are two you options you can select from.
a.) You can inject the spores into the substrate
b.) You can spread the spores on the surface.
Grow Mycelium in a controlled environment
For higher success chances, it is better to grow mycelium in a controlled environment.
This environment is ideally warm and humid to keep the substrate moist.
The mycelium will grow and spread throughout the substrate, forming a network of thread-like fibers.
Thickness of the mycelium will depend on the desired application.
Harvesting Mycelium
You should record your mycelium growing process.
This makes it easier to plan ahead for production projects and conduct testing in the future, too.
Moreover, if your mycelium reaches a desirable thickness it is ready for harvesting.
Additionally, the mycelium is usually harvested by cutting it away from the substrate.
At this stage, you can process the mycelium to remove any excess water and to give it the texture and properties your brand prefers.
Finishing your mushroom leather
Finally, you may finish the fungus leather in a variety of ways.
From dyeing, embossing, or laminating, there is plentry of options to innovate and find best use cases.
The finishing process will depend on the desired look and feel of the mushroom leather.
Mushroom Leather vs. Animal Leather
The production process of fungus leather presents a superior planet friendly alternative to animal leather.
In addition, brands also explore the possibility of scaling up their operations more easily with fungi, as opposed to breeding more animals for leather production, which means their end at some point.
This process, which can be executed in various settings, is relatively straightforward.
Furthermore, leather made from fungus possesses the qualities of being both biodegradable and compostable.
Consequently, it stands as a more ecologically responsible option when compared to plastic leathers.
Nevertheless, producers encounter some challenges during the creation of fungus based leather.
Firstly, the cost of mushroom leather makes it preferrable that of animal leather, making it less attractive for retail production, especially for companies with limited available capital resources.
The technology for this leather production is currently in its early stages.
As the technology continues to develop, we can expect to see the cost of mushroom leather come down and the quality of the material improve.
This will make your vegan leather a more viable option for a wider range of products.
Find Vegan Leather suppliers
Find below a few suppliers of vegan mushroom leather.
The division is part of the Foremost Group and has its ground in Taiwan.
Nupelle showcases has an impressive track record of case studies.
Among others, Nupelle counts Puma, alto and Rawpiece to their client base.
Their main products are entirely eco-friendly vegan leather alternatives produced in Asia.
- Panex
- TRNEX
- COFLEX
Their team is comprised of entrepreneurs with backgrounds in chemical engineering, experience in the fashion industry.
Its history goes back to 1985, when the business were initally offering Pu raw materials.
Brands That Adapted Leather Alternatives
MYLO
