The popularity of mycelium as a biomaterial ripe for exploratory application continued apace in 2024. From luxury houses to student shows, from packaging and clothing to building materials, it feels like our future may well be fungal. While the self-growing, biodegradable material has fascinating possibilities for solutions at scale, the project that stopped us in our tracks this year was remarkable for its sheer wonderment.
San Francisco-based biotech company MycoWorks was founded in 2013 by sculptor Philip Ross and artist-poet Sophia Wang with a mission to develop mycelium into materials that inspire brands, designers and artists. In collaboration with design agency Paragone, MycoWorks put its latest patented mycelium derivative, Reishi, into the hands of seven female artists and designers, whose works were unveiled in a show, titled ‘Mycelium Muse’, at the inaugural Design Miami/Paris in October.
