MycoWorks is a biotechnology company pioneering a new category of premium biomaterials grown using its patented Fine Mycelium™ technology. Founded by artists and material innovators, the company draws on more than three decades of research into mycelium – the regenerative, root-like network of fungi – to create materials that combine strength, durability and refined tactility with significantly lower environmental impact than conventional animal leathers.

At the core of MycoWorks’ products is Fine Mycelium, a breakthrough process that engineers mycelium cells during growth to form dense, interlocking cellular structures. Unlike compressed ‘mushroom leather’ products, Fine Mycelium is grown to specification in a controlled, tray-based system, allowing sheets to be customised for thickness, weight, performance and finish while maintaining consistent quality and minimising waste. This approach enables designers to work from the material outward, rather than designing around the limitations of existing materials.

MycoWorks’ flagship material, Reishi™, is a premium, natural biomaterial made using Fine Mycelium™ technology. Grown at commercial scale in the company’s large manufacturing facility in South Carolina, Reishi™ is finished by heritage tannery partners in Europe using MycoWorks’ proprietary chrome-free tanning and dyeing processes.

Reishi™ is available in multiple variations – including Natural, Doux and Pebble – each offering distinct textures, drape and hand-feel while retaining the inherent qualities associated with the finest animal leathers.

Sustainability is embedded at both a material and systems level. MycoWorks has published a peer-reviewed Life Cycle Assessment for Reishi™, demonstrating a low carbon footprint of 2.76 kg CO₂e per square metre for the finished material without fabric backing, with variations depending on optional fabric reinforcement.

Fine Mycelium™ is grown using only four primary inputs – recycled sawdust, bran, mycelium spawn and minimal filtered water – through a passive growth process that requires no additional food, light or irrigation. The facility operates on renewable energy, with 98 per cent of its electricity sourced from a nearby solar plant.

Beyond environmental metrics, MycoWorks’ process introduces new levels of traceability and supply-chain transparency. Each sheet of Fine Mycelium™ can be tracked from growth tray to finishing, offering a level of material accountability rarely available in traditional natural materials. Standardised sheet sizing also reduces cutting waste, addressing one of the most resource-intensive aspects of leather production.

MycoWorks collaborates closely with fashion houses, furniture makers, automotive brands and designers, making Reishi™ a new material category in its own right – one that prioritises quality, longevity and aesthetic integrity alongside regenerative principles.

Find out more at mycoworks.com