Mycelium has caught the attention of researchers for a range of sometimes surprising reasons. British biologist Merlin Sheldrake, for example, recently authored the best-selling by Jessica Hemmings ©2022 Surface Design Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. SPRING 2022 / 25 fashion. Mycelium’s speed of growth and relative ease of cultivation are often cited as positive environmental benefits of its production. Launched in 2015, Mycotech Lab, or MYCL, is an Indonesian bio-based material startup.
A watchmaker in Indonesia's Bandung city thinks the next step in sustainability is a wristwatch with a strap made out of the complex root structure of a mushroom. Mycelium leather, as the material is known, is fibrous and tough yet pliable and waterproof, and has been touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to synthetic products or natural leather made from animal hide.