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EMERYVILLE, Calif. — Talk about mycelium-based products has been cropping up like, well, mushrooms after the rain, but this week one luxury furniture maker announced a new partnership that may make mushroom-based furniture a reality soon.
Ligne Roset is working with the biotech firm MycoWorks to bring Reishi — a natural, sustainable, high-quality material made from mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms with the feel and performance of fine leather — to its furniture line.
The material has already been adopted by the fashion industry and has expanded into the automotive market; MycoWorks currently partners with Hèrmes, Nick Fouquet and General Motors, among others.
“Decades ago, my co-founder Phil Ross and I explored using mycelium to create molded chairs and stools as part of our art practice,” said Sophia Wang, MycoWorks co-founder and chief of culture. “Furniture demonstrates the beauty, utility and performance of materials. This partnership with Ligne Roset is a full circle moment for MycoWorks, validating that Reishi will be used in furniture design for years to come.”
Ligne Roset has been working with MycoWorks for more than two years to fine-tune Reishi to meet furniture industry performance and durability standards. It is starting with a limited-edition pair of pillows, called Teneo, that will be available in 2023.
“We are proud to be the first to introduce Reishi into our collections and to the furniture design industry,” said Antoine Roset, marketing director Groupe Roset, a French company established in 1860 with generations of expertise on leather. “We have been waiting for years for a natural, sustainable material that meets our quality standards and our customers’ expectations. We believe Reishi is the answer.”
See also: Check out this chair made from mushrooms
