Mycelium
Mycelium is the root network of fungi, grown on agricultural waste and then dried to halt it, which turns a living organism into a lightweight, compostable material for packaging, panels and objects. Grown rather than manufactured, it needs very little energy to produce – though it remains early in its move from studio experiment to specified building product, and durability and scale are still being worked out.
Start with the full guide: Mycelium production process: a step-by-step guide, on how the material is actually grown. From there, read about the design challenges the material still poses, its environmental impact, and pavilions and furniture already made from it.
The complexities of harnessing mycelium
A look at the intricate challenges of mycelium in design, from technical constraints to economic barriers and innovative solutions.
The environmental impact of mycelium
We explore the profound environmental impact of mycelium in reducing carbon footprints and waste – to showcase the ecological advantages it has over conventional materials.
Mycelium production process: Step-by-step guide
Mycelium production is the process of cultivating fungal root networks on agricultural waste substrates – such as corn stalks, sawdust, or straw – and guiding their growth into a dense, mouldable composite material. The process takes roughly 5–14 days from inoculation to finished product, requires no synthetic inputs, and produces a biodegradable material that can be composted at end of life. Here’s how it works, step by step.
Read stories about ground-breaking furniture and products that use mycelium
A pavilion grown from mycelium
Sebastian Cox and Studio Weave’s Intelligent Garden pavilion is grown from mycelium and ash felled to dieback – a low-carbon, compostable structure made almost entirely from waste.
Studio TOOJ’s DUK collection melds mycelium innovation with surrealist form
Studio TOOJ’s DUK collection quietly disrupts the boundaries between form, function and materiality. Conceived as an exploration of illusion and tactility, the made-to-order series presents sculptural pieces that appear to be soft cloth draped in space – yet on closer inspection, each one reveals itself as a precisely carved, immovable form.
The ground-breaking work of Ty Syml
Welsh-based experimental design studio Tŷ Syml is proving what’s possible through material research and product design. Borne from a university thesis, the trio behind the studio are creating a new generation of products that are embedded with a cradle-to-cradle philosophy. And only a few years off the ground, the studio is now consulting with cities on how to be more sustainable. Here they share their design thinking and why an experimental approach is key.
