Italian Company Create Vegan Leather Made From Mushroom Caps
ItMuSkin is a new, biodegradable suede-like material that wards off bacterial growth.
An Italian fabric manufacturer has created MuSkin, an animal-free mushroom-based leather. The 100-percent biodegradable textile—made by GradoZero Espace—is extracted from Chinese mushroom caps and undergoes a natural tanning process the company says is totally absent of chemicals. Everything from purses, watchstraps, shoe insoles, hats, and lampshades can be made using MuSkin, which GradoZero Espace describes as being suede-like but much softer, breathable, pliable, and suitable for direct skin contact. According to the company, the material also deters the proliferation of bacteria, while having “the strong capacity to absorb moisture, and then release it.” MuSkin’s advent follows cruelty-free leathers made from kombucha and pineapple.