Mycelium as sustainable textile material – review on recent research and future prospective

Abstract

PurposeMycelium is an upcoming bio-based alternative material that has various applications in different industries. Mycelium materials used as composites, leather, construction materials and some are even available for commercial purposes. However, there was not much research found when it came to the application of mycelium as a textile alternative. The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential of mycelium in the textile industry and its possible applications.Design/methodology/approachThis review consolidates literature that refers the two major methods used in fungal mycelium production namely; as a composite and as a pure self-grown mycelium sheet. The study compared the current research status in this respective field and reported the scope in the pure mycelium development.FindingsThe results of the review reported that several research works are performed in composite production with different feedstock. The production methods and product development steps were well established for several applications from home utilities to construction materials. Whereas, in the case of self-grown mycelium sheet production only limited research works were found. Though the possibilities of engineered composite sheets are developed with various properties, research on self-grown pure mycelium sheets are at infant stage. Sensitive production methods, lower tensile, tearing, poor handle properties with brittle structure and non-uniformity in thickness are noted as limitations. Sustainable nature, self-grown three-dimensional nano-fibril network with porous structure are found to be advantageous.Originality/valueThe solid culture method was identified as a potential method to develop a sheet-like self-grown mycelium with different dimensions. The review results clearly show the lack of research in the direct application of self-grown pure mycelium area concerning feedstock material, fungal species selection and characterization of the developed product. Addressing the existing limitations will yield a sustainable textile material for fashion and textile industry with great potential.

Improving the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Mycelium-Based Green Composites Using Paper Waste

“…Previously, the properties of MBCs were improved by applying a suitable substrate type, fungal species, and fabrication technology [ 15 ]. Another possible approach for improving the properties of MBCs is mixing various kinds of agricultural substrates during the production process, resulting in the opportunity to effectively change the properties of various aspects of materials [ 16 ]. Moreover, many earlier studies regarding MBC production have also used silica and carbonate sand along with clay to improve the properties of this material [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ].…”

Growing mycelium leather: a paste substrate approach with post-treatments

“…In more recent studies, the flexible nature of the pure mycelial mats has come to the forefront as a potential substitute for non-woven materials such as animalderived leather and petroleum-based faux leather alternatives (Crawford 2023c;Crawford et al 2023). This has prompted a rise in research that investigates the development of these bio textiles and their associated properties, which this paper builds upon (Amobonye et al 2023;Raman et al 2022;Rathinamoorthy et al 2023b;Williams et al 2022).…”

Physical and mechanical properties of mycelium-based fiberboards

“…The utilization of mycelium in the production of composites also presents environmental benefits, as evidenced by the preference for lignin-based composites over those based on thermosetting resins from a life cycle perspective (Theng et al 2017). Moreover, mycelium-based products have gained traction in various industries, including architecture, textiles, and footwear, indicating their versatility and potential for widespread adoption (Silverman et al 2020;Alemu et al 2022;Rathinamoorthy et al 2023).…”