A team of researchers at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology in China has developed a fabric produced from living mycelium that is capable of self-renewal, repairing minor damage, and displaying a range of properties including pigmentation and ultraviolet radiation protection.
The material, classified as an Engineered Living Material (ELM), keeps living organisms active even after the manufacturing process. Unlike other mycelium applications — which primarily use fungal fibres to produce leather- or plastic-like materials — this technology keeps the fungus Cordyceps militaris alive, albeit in a dormant state. The species has also gained wider public recognition for inspiring the fictional fungus depicted in The Last of Us.
According to the researchers, this characteristic allows the fabric to respond to specific conditions and regenerate over time. The material undergoes a drying process at approximately 45°C, which reduces the fungus’s metabolic activity and prevents active growth, while preserving its capacity to develop again when suitable conditions are restored.
To stimulate that process, the scientists apply a nutrient solution based on potato water. When applied to a damaged area alongside a small quantity of fresh fungus, the solution can encourage the growth of new filaments, enabling the mycelium to recolonise the affected zone and repair the surface without adhesives or stitching.
The fabric also exhibits hydrophobic properties, contributing to its self-cleaning capability. The researchers were further able to incorporate additional characteristics by combining Cordyceps militaris with different organisms. Brewer’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, can impart a blue tint to the material, while the fungus Aspergillus niger enhances resistance to ultraviolet radiation.
Different Fungi Combined to Tune Material Properties
The various fungi and yeasts are combined and cultivated together, allowing the material’s properties to be adjusted according to the intended application.
The technology was presented in a paper published in the scientific journal Science Advances. To demonstrate its potential in fashion, the researchers developed — in partnership with materials innovation company Peelshere — a prototype dress made from living mycelium fabric.
One of the material’s distinguishing features is the ability to combine different fungi and yeasts without resorting to genetic engineering, allowing properties such as colour, strength, and self-repair capacity to be altered. In the prototype, a variant cultivated with brewer’s yeast gave the fabric a uniform blue tone.
According to researcher Ke Li, the material could find application in conceptual fashion, accessories, decorative surfaces, and biodegradable packaging. However, the technology still requires further refinement — particularly in terms of durability, moisture resistance, safety, and manufacturing consistency — before it can be used in everyday garments.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=545830
