The fashion industry accounts for 10% of the world’s CO2 emissions and is the second-biggest consumer of water. Swedish researchers have found that bread-eating fungus spores produce natural fibers that can be treated to mimic cotton and leather, using far less water and energy than conventional materials. Besides providing an economical use for food waste, the fungal materials will be faster to make. A few sustainable, vegan leather substitutes made from mushrooms, such as one by California-based company Mycoworks, are already on the market.
Source: Ghasem Mohammadkhani et al. Sustainable fungal textiles and paper-like materials from food waste. ACS Spring 2022.
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