He future of fashion could be in the use of living and self-repairing materials, according to a recent study by a team of British engineers. Scientists have discovered that the strands obtained from filamentous fungi can be used as an advanced leather substitute.
The filamentous fungus ‘Ganoderma lucidum‘ produces a ‘skin’ from branching, thread-like filaments, known as hyphae, which naturally interweave into a structure called the vegetative mycelium. These fungal mycelium-based materials are already being used in a variety of fields, from construction to textiles.
However, the process used to produce these materials tends to eliminate chlamydospores, some tough, thick-walled vegetative cells that form at one end of the hypha. These spores, which help the organism to survive in unfavorable conditions, may be the key to the self-repairing properties of the material due to its ability to regenerate.
After dry the material at 40 °C and plasticize it with a 20% glycerol solution, the fungal modified living material maintained its vitality. Engineers demonstrated that self-healing can be achieved with minimal interventions for a variety of heavy damage after a two-day recovery period. The curing procedure increased the tensile strength of the spawn materials.
“The ability of this regenerative mycelium material to heal micro and macro defects opens up exciting future prospects for unique product applications in replacements of leather goods such as furniture, car seats, and fashionable clothing“, emphasize the engineers.
This material could be used to make a functionally advanced leather substitute that is not only biodegradable but also self-repairing. Scientists argue that living cells inside modified living materials can adapt to their environment and change themselves in many useful ways.
In the near future, these thin and delicate cultured ‘skins’ could be made into a stronger leather, possibly by combining layers or by plasticizing it in glycerol. With these innovations, the clothing of the future could be a living, self-healing material, opening up new possibilities in the field of fashion and sustainability.
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