In Milan they showed shoes made entirely from a mushroom
Milan Design Week presented an unusual prototype of shoes made entirely of mushroom mycelium. This is important because usually such materials are used only as a substitute for leather, not as a full-fledged construction.
We are talking about a model that even has a sole made of mushroom.
Details
The project was created by researcher and designer Lars Dittrich from the Free University of Brussels and shoe-maker Marie De Rieck from La Monnaie/De Munt theatre.
The main feature of the development is that the mycelium was used not only for the upper part of the shoe, but also for the supporting sole. Usually fungus-based materials act as a decorative covering or an alternative to leather. Here, however, they became the basis of the entire construction.
The development took about two years. The team selected different strains of fungi for different parts of the shoe: one for a denser and more mouldable sole material, another for a more flexible and leather-like upper.
To create the sole, the researchers learnt how to join sheets of mycelium into a dense, multi-layered structure. This is what allowed them to achieve durability without additional reinforcement.
The authors emphasise that this is still a conceptual object that shows the current capabilities of the material, rather than a ready mass-market model.
Why it matters
The project shows that mushroom materials can be used not only as an environmentally friendly replacement for leather, but also as a complete part of a structure.
This is important for several reasons. Firstly, this approach opens the way to more sustainable footwear production. Secondly, it shows that biomaterials can go beyond decorative solutions and become functional. Finally, it is an example of how scientific developments are beginning to work together with craft and design, not just in the lab.
Background
Mycelium is the root-like network of fungi. In recent years it has been extensively studied as a material for packaging, decoration, furniture and leather replacement. But until now, the use of pure mycelium in load-bearing elements has remained rare.
The new project was an attempt to show that fungus can not only be a "material of the future" in theory, but also a real basis for items to be worn and loaded.
Source
The project was presented by researchers from the Free University of Brussels and La Monnaie/De Munt at Milan Design Week. It is based on the developments of the MycoMatters programme to create materials from pure mycelium.