CEO Talks: MycoWorks

Despite the rocky road for financing next-generation materials over the past year, many materials makers are ready for more. In the midst of revealing its first full-fledged factory, MycoWorks’ chief executive officer Matt Scullin details the biomaterials landscape and his hope for engineering a more sustainable world.

M.S: Demand for new biomaterials is strong and only growing stronger, and that’s why billions of dollars of investment continue to pour into this field by major brands and financiers alike. Furthermore, the recent growth in the luxury industry is making it increasingly difficult to find enough high-quality hides, which are primarily a coproduct of stagnant beef and dairy consumption in Europe.

What will fuel continued growth in this industry, particularly from young generations who don’t want fur, crocodile or calf?

Our new facility in Union, South Carolina, will deliver 100 times the capacity of our Reishi product relative to our pilot plant in California, which we’ve been operating since 2020. These volumes will finally enable mycelium to make it into real collections — not just capsules from pilot production volumes — with our brand partners who share the patience required to bring luxury, high-quality products to market. We continue to see strong interest from investors, who have been watching this space for years and now have a nuanced understanding of leather product quality.