MycoWorks, a biomaterials technology business, has revealed the date of the first commercial-scale fine mycelium production facility’s launch. The 136,000-square-foot factory, which is scheduled to open on September 20, 2023, will employ more than 350 people and allow MycoWorks to provide millions of square feet of Reishi annually to its upscale partners. Reishi is a brand-new kind of high-end natural material with a lesser environmental impact that has the same strength, toughness, and hand feel as the best animal leathers.
According to Patrick Thomas, former CEO of Hermès and member of the MycoWorks board, “This is the moment the luxury industry has been waiting for; a plastic-free leather alternative that offers undeniable beauty and performance—at scale.” Brands will move fast to commercialize products created with Reishi now that the supply problem has been resolved.
Mycelium is grown in a controlled environment using MycoWorks’ exclusive fine mycelium production technique, which harnesses mycelium’s organic development to produce gorgeous sheets of Reishi, the only leather substitute that satisfies the performance requirements of the luxury sector. According to a press release from the company, significant brands from the luxury, fashion, home furnishings, and automotive sectors, including Hermès, Ligne Roset, and GM, have cooperated with the company since the introduction of Reishi.
Product quality and scalable manufacturing have been two obstacles in the long hunt for a luxury leather substitute, according to Matt Scullin, CEO of MycoWorks. “We answered the scale question in September 2023 with this cutting-edge facility in South Carolina, eliminating the first by introducing Reishi to the world in 2016.”
MycoWorks employs a vertical business model, controlling its entire technological stack as opposed to outsourcing or licensing. The business has the depth of knowledge necessary to launch this new category of material on the market thanks to the development and control of every stage of its production process.
A member of the MycoWorks board and managing partner of DCVC Bio, Kiersten Stead said that the company’s Fine Mycelium platform represents an unprecedented leap in materials. “MycoWorks is ready to respond to the luxury industry’s desire to craft objects with natural alternatives to leather” after opening the doors of the first factory of this scale.
The news comes after test findings that show how Reishi satisfies luxury requirements for material performance without utilizing plastics. In a field of substitutes that rely on polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets, fillers, or backings to offer strength and durability, fine mycelium stands out.
