Mushrooms could be the next big thing in fashion. Let’s understand fungus fabric
It’s no longer a secret that the global fashion industry is tormented by a number of problems, especially overproduction and slave labour. Dramatic documentaries have investigated the concerning environmental and ethical impacts of ‘fast fashion’.
The clothing industry is a top climate contributor, estimated to produce 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain and production. Animal activists have also been raising concerns over the ethical issues with producing leather.
Met Gala highlighted fashion’s biggest problems
Earlier this month, celebrities gathered in NYC for Met Gala, an extravagant fashion event. The dress code instructed guests to dress for “The Garden of Time” theme. Many attendees arrived in beautiful dresses including floral patterns or cloth roses.
Some environmentalists even felt that the Met Gala’s theme fell short in addressing fashion’s biggest problems – and may have highlighted them instead. Excessive water and chemicals are used to produce one dress, and significant emissions are produced at each stage, one said.
Outside the gala, a number of engineers and designers are putting considerable efforts to let people dress in a material that literally is found in ‘gardens’: fungus. Currently, some firms and startups are selling materials made almost entirely of mycelium.
Bio-based fabric touted as next big thing in fashion
Mycelium are living cells found in mushrooms and can produce fabrics enormously similar to leather. Others are conducting experiments on orange peel fibres, algae and invasive lionfish skin to eventually tackle the fashion industry’s massive waste problem.
Recently, multiple reports have touted bio-based fabric as the next big thing in fashion. They are capable of taking care of the industry’s major waste problem. There is a lot of interest but it’s still difficult to say whether such fabrics could scale up enough to have a meaningful impact.
