Leather has been worn for centuries and remains an iconic material for fashion today. But leather is not perfect. It requires livestock which requires many resources and the foul treatment of animals and produces millions of tons of waste per year. The word “leather” is quickly becoming revolutionized with faux leather taking the lead, and mushrooms can take that a step further.
While synthetic leathers are often plastic-based, mushroom leather is perfectly sustainable. Mushrooms are very strong and can be grown in versatile conditions, and the end product, “mushroom leather”, is even waterproof. With 2020 right around the corner, it’s time for fungi fashion to take the lead in the leather industry.