Mycelium in the mix for AGI
15/07/2024
Their first product is mycelium bricks made from discarded jeans, which will be unveiled at Kingpins New York on July 17-18, 2024.
Visitors to the tradeshow can view the exhibit, "Recycled Denim to Mycelium Constructs," in a section dedicated to innovation called The Boxes.
Also on display will be garments incorporating Ecovative made-from-mycelium Forager Foam designed by AGI Denim’s creative agency, The Agency.
Ecovative harnesses mycelium growth to create solid webs, resulting in biodegradable materials for textiles, packaging and food alternatives. Mycelium are the root-like fibres of fungi that form a web-like structure, often beneath the ground in nature. It supports mushroom growth and nutrient exchange in diverse ecosystems. By selecting the right strain and creating optimal conditions, Ecovative and AGI Denim have developed a process to cultivate mycelium by incorporating recycled post-consumer waste denim fibers into the feed mix. The substrate can be moulded into various forms and biologically cemented together through the natural growth of the mycelium.
To connect mycelium materials back to the fashion denim world, The Agency by AGI Denim has designed a collection of padded garments incorporating Ecovative's Forager Foam. The foam is made using the company’s AirMycelium technology. It is breathable, insulating, water-repellent and naturally fire-resistant.
“I have always had a fascination with fungi and their role as decomposers in nature,” said Henry Wong, AGI Denim’s vice-president of product development and marketing. “The potential application in solving the large-scale challenges we face as humans is so exciting. We are fortunate for this opportunity to work with such an innovative company like Ecovative to explore how their technologies can inspire the denim world.”
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