Philosophical Magazine recently published the article “Fungal dress demonstrates potential future sustainable adaptable materials”, written by Anna Demming, about a newly developed textile made from living fungi that demonstrated self-healing, UV protection and almost complete degradation in soil within 41 days.

The textile was developed by a research team led by Ke Li at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, using Cordyceps militaris as its basis. By integrating different fungal species, the researchers added functionalities such as colour and UV protection, while the material also demonstrated self-healing and self-cleaning properties. The 2 mm-thick textile was used to create a dress, with potential applications in short-lived products such as exhibition textiles, temporary architectural installations and specialised packaging.

In the article, Dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM Materials Research Group Leader, commented on the research, highlighting the versatility of fungal systems for introducing functionalities such as pigmentation and UV protection. She also pointed out that bringing these materials into real-world applications will require addressing challenges related to material properties, regulatory frameworks, standardisation, scalability of production and consumer perception of living textiles.

Read the whole article here.