The US Company Enhancing Luxury car Interiors Using the Root Structure of Mushrooms - MycoWorks

MycoWorks is a US a biotechnology dedicated to growing the future of materials. It was formed n 2013, by artists Philip Ross and Sophia Wang, Ross leveraged mycelium – the root structure of mushrooms– in his sculptural practice.

General Motors has chosen MycoWorks to co-develop a new class of material specifically adapted for electric automotive interiors with its  Fine Mycelium technology.

"What was once an artistic technique has now become a commercially-scaled biotechnology known as Fine Mycelium, a platform that engineers mycelium as it grows, crafting biomaterials of unparalleled beauty, strength, durability, and hand-feel and can be uniquely customized to meet the standards and needs from many industries from luxury handbags to automotive interiors," MycoWorks Principals tell Auto Futures.

Fine Mycelium technology enables brands to market new materials to meet their environmental commitments and customer demands..

Infinitely scalable by way of a batch-to-batch tray production, mycelium grows to the size and shape of their tray.

Once the growth process is complete, the fully-grown sheet of Fine Mycelium is harvested and sent to partner tanneries to be re-tanned and finished to industry specifications.

"Our customers can optionally add another natural textile, like cotton or silk, through which the mycelium then grows through to form a beautiful and durable biomaterial. Once the growth process is complete, the fully-grown sheet of Fine Mycelium™ is harvested and sent to our partner tanneries to be re-tanned and finished to industry specifications," MycoWorks Principals say.

MycoWorks South Carolina (MWSC) facility opened in October of 2023. The company is currently in its ramp-up phase, transforming what began as a small-scale, labor intensive process at a pilot plant in Emeryville, into a near fully-automated commercial scale operation.

The 136,000 square foot facility ihas the capacity to deliver millions of square of its flagship Reishi biomaterial, which has been particularly customised to hit the standards and specifications of its clients in the luxury space.

"In January we announced our first milestone at MWSC: a successful first harvest of 1000 sheets of raw Reishi™ bound for our European tannery partners to be tanned, finished and embossed to order via our innovative and streamlined chrome-free, low-chemical and low-water tanning process. Once finished, all sheets are sent to our partners and clients who are testing and developing REISHI for applications in furniture, interiors, fashion and accessories design," they explain.

Sustainable Automotive Design

MycoWorks' technology offers many new opportunities in automotive interior design.

The company is exploring growing materials in the shape of steering wheels, car doors, and dashboards. 

"Fine Mycelium offers the range automotive has been waiting for from sustainable solutions, growing materials for comfort and finished for custom color and design. Fine Mycelium technology’s unique tray-based system offers General Motors the chance to reduce the sustainability profile of each vehicle through major reductions in the carbon footprint of its raw material inputs. Pushing the boundaries of sustainable automotive design," say the Principals.

GM's Cadillac brand recently introduced the SOLLEI concept vehicle, featuring MycoWorks' material in the charging mats on the vehicle's console and the door map pockets.

"Focused on comfort, performance, efficiency, and unique customizations for long lasting interiors, this automotive-grade material can be grown, tanned, and finished like traditional and synthetic leathers yet provides for entirely new customizations with a lowered environmental footprint. MycoWorks’ unique tray-based technology could allow automotive designers to grow sheets of material in the size of steering wheels, seat coverings and dashboards, unlocking new possibilities for sustainable automotive design in the near future," they explain. 

In a press release, Erin Crossley, design director, Cadillac, comments: “SOLLEI reimagines the discovery of travel, envisioning a personalized driving experience that connects one with the natural world around them. The concept celebrates Cadillac’s pedigree of elegant convertibles in a modern form by cultivating high luxury through design expressions and experiences.” 

Greater Traceability And Transparency

Fine Mycelium materials offer reductions in material carbon footprint because mycelium is regenerative, fast-growing, and grows passively with few inputs.

"Raw materials sourcing and transport is notoriously difficult to trace and is often the area with the most emissions expenditures, creating a strong demand for sustainable materials with lowered emission profiles.  At the same time, our technology allows partners like General Motors unprecedented control over natural material, with strong customizations options and now provides a traceability and transparency feature previously unheard of in the procurement of natural materials," say the Principals.

"Clients can now trace the product from the strain of mycelium to the time when it leaves the MycoWorks facility, allowing companies full visibility over their supply-chains," hey add.

Finally, we asked the MycoWorks Principals what vehicle interiors will look like in the future.

"The General Motors latest Cadillac SOLLEI concept car is representative of the fact that sustainability in the auto industry can take many forms. The inclusion of next-generation materials like Fine Mycelium in the vehicle’s interior is a promising first step for a future shaped by lighter weight materials, increased customization, and potentially even a more sustainable industry with reductions contributing to improved fuel efficiency and overall performance," they say,