CBS Mornings

Fungus Fashion

MycoWorks’ proprietary Reishi™ product finds purpose, from potentially life-saving sheets interwoven with bullet-proof Kevlar, to incorporating conductive wiring in the fibers, allowing for “smart” fashion that connects to your devices, and even leather enmeshed with gold thread, redefining luxury.

“You can’t grow a cow to spec,” said MycoWorks co-founder Sophia Wang. “Cows just do what they do. So, that is what’s remarkable about a natural material that you can grow to form.”

She continued, “We work with our partners to actually grow our materials to those customized needs, which is not something you can do with any other natural material.”

Beatrice Amblard, a leather artisan with four decades of experience said, “I believe people are ready for changes, they’re ready for innovation. For me, combining old techniques with biomaterials is an incredible opportunity.” 

It all points to a future where guilt-free fashion could be the norm. And instead of traditional leather on your back, or in your hand, we’ll be making room … for mushrooms. 

Watch the full story by Lilia Luciano on CBS Morning News.