Leather made from mushrooms? What admittedly sounds strange could be a serious alternative to leather made from animal skin.
The idea of "vegan" leather is not new - artificial leather, a composite of a textile base (e.g. fabric) and a plastic top layer, has been used as a substitute for leather for over 100 years. Although no animals are killed, artificial leather is by no means environmentally friendly. Based on mineral oil, mixed with plasticizers and chemicals, the artificial leather used is not a sustainable alternative to leather.
Mushroom leather as the material of the future
Researchers and start-ups are now working on an animal-friendly and, above all, environmentally friendly solution: leather made from mushrooms. It is not porcini mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms or champions that are used for production, but the root network growing underground, the so-called mycelium. Using sawdust as a breeding ground, the leather-like material, also known as muskin, grows. The mushroom tissue is then processed and tanned in a similar way to real leather, but without the use of chemicals. The Kombucha mushroom, for example, has also been used in the production of imitation leather.
The resulting material has similar properties to leather: it should be tear-resistant, breathable, durable and water-repellent. The fabric can be produced with little effort and can be dyed and provided with patterns and textures. The only drawback so far is the smell. Otherwise, however, mushroom leather has considerable advantages: the slaughter of the animals and thus the resource-intensive rearing is no longer necessary, and production is significantly more resource and environmentally friendly. The mushrooms also provide the soil with important nutrients and any waste can be disposed of organically or composted.
Mushroom becomes socially acceptable
By 2020, leather made from mushrooms is to be made suitable for mass production; to date, only select start-ups and a handful of fabric wholesalers have dedicated themselves to the exclusive material made from mycelium tissue. But this is set to change in a few years: Mushroom leather is to be used primarily in the fashion sector. It is also suitable as a substitute for building materials, wood or plastic. In the near future, there could therefore be furnishings, houses and vehicles as well as shoes and lamps made from mushrooms.
Incidentally, Danish product designer Jonas Edvard already realized the latter a few years ago: As part of his "Myx" project, he grew lamps and other shapes out of mushrooms.
Imitation leather made from mushrooms is not only a new, but above all ethically correct and sustainable alternative to animal leather or artificial leather made from crude oil. Even though mass production is still in its infancy and the material is comparatively expensive, this alternative should be considered.
