Furniture Of The Future May Be Grown From Mushrooms

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KIng’s Table (Photo Credit: Ecovative)

New York-based Ecovative has been creating environmentally friendly packaging made from mushrooms and agricultural waste since 2009. Now, the company wants to bring their innovative material into homes and offices with a new line of compostable furnishings that are grown using just three ingredients: mycelium (the vegetative part of mushrooms), hemp, and salt.

Mycelium growing around the waste (Photo Credit: Ecovative)

While creating sturdy material from mushrooms might sound magical, the company’s CEO Eben Bayer says it is a relatively low-tech process and likens it to “making bread.” The company begins by adding a few mycelium cells to moistened hemp or other agricultural waste like buckwheat husks or oat hulls.

Lamshade made from GIY kits (Photo Credit: Ecovative.com)

The fungus that grows like little hairs is allowed to interlace with the waste until everything is “glued” together. The combination is then mixed again and placed into the desired mold where it continues to grow and harden. The resulting material is then baked in the oven. In addition to making it as strong as wood, the heat also kills the fungi, thus giving the compostable material a similar shelf life to timber.

Tafl Table (Photo Credit: Ecovative.com)

Also, though the table tops of the stylish “Tafl” and “King’s” tables unveiled at the recently held Biofabricate 2016 summit in New York City resemble marble, they are far from it. The perfectly chiseled blocks are made of BioCement grown by North Carolina-based bioMASON using grains of sands and bacteria.

GIY kits allow buyers to grow their own creations (Photo Credit: Ecovative.com)

As you have probably guessed, this waste-free furniture does not come cheap. Customers can expect to pay anywhere from $249 USD for the Stack stool to $699 USD for the King’s table, both of which are only available in limited quantities. Those that cannot afford those prices can opt for cheaper GIY (grow it yourself) kits for a variety of interior products ranging from Christmas tree ornaments to lampshades.

Resources: cnn.com, everythinghomegrown.com, ecovativedesign.com

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266 Comments
  • imawannabe39948almost 8 years
    i like mushrroms so much i cant eat them because im allergic
    • MushroomDudealmost 8 years
      Wow wont it get rotton?
    • Weirdoalmost 8 years
      What if the mushrooms rot
      • elsadog1234
        elsadog1234almost 8 years
        WOAH! I didn't know that you are able to make chairs and other furniture from mushrooms! #mushroommania
        • jagdfhjalmost 8 years
          i know what you mean hello but still i bet this isn't that far in the future
          • Sniffyalmost 8 years
            Who knew mushrooms could be so expensive? :D
            • Helloalmost 8 years
              Really this is the future wow lame
              • #MushroomWorldalmost 8 years
                When I buy one of those ill eat it all and my mom will say what did you do to the chair lol.
                • #MushroomWorldalmost 8 years
                  Wow they used MUSHROOMS as furniture like I eat with a pizza omg need to buy onw of those now!
                  • Evaalmost 8 years
                    Good use of yucky mushrooms :)