Nature’s Glue - Material Driven Design
Another design product that caught my eye was from Cardiff multidisciplinary practice Tŷ Syml. They have been creating various products for interiors, design and fashion utilising mycelium. Mycelium, for those that aren’t familiar - are a kind of like yeast like fungi, that is multicellular and can grown into structures. The multiple-celled organisms, like mushrooms, are made up of white filament strands of cells called “hyphae.” These dense networks of long, microscopic fibres can bind to other materials such as paper or wood and do away with the need for harmful glues and resins, and can be grown in a matter of days.
Thats exactly what Adam Davies chief designer at Tŷ Syml had develop with his range of eco lights. Each light is created by the mycelium as it grows and binds with the waste material within a 3D printed mould. The lights growth is rapid, with full lights being grown within five days. More of their work can be seen at http://tysyml.co.uk/
The potential of mycelium is huge. This evolutionary biomaterial could to transform the way we manufacture, consume and live. Whilst the overall aesthetic of the raw material is very rustic looking, it can be mixed, pressed and moulded into shapes to give it refined look. It’s already been used for developing furniture, lamps, homewares, footwear and fashion.
Mycelium, when harnessed as a technology, helps replace plastics that are rapidly accumulating in the environment. Bayer 2019
Ecovative are a New York design company on a mission to grow better materials that are compatible with earth. Started up by then-classmates Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre, the company wanted to make an alternative to Styrofoam - enter MycoComposite™. Unlike plastics, their range of packaging materials are fully biodegrabale and are completely non-toxic, you can see why they have already gained the interest from huge brand Dell and Ikea.
Stop, observe and learn from mother nature, for she has an answer to everything.