Critical review of mycelium-bound product development to identify barriers to entry and paths to overcome them

Abstract

Current environmental crisis calls for new sustainable materials and products. Mycelium-based materials are grown by fungi onto solid ligno-cellulosic substrates and are promising sustainable materials which still face barriers to entry. This review discusses the challenges and prospects for making mycelium products. First, the technical challenges, properties needs and scientific knowledge gaps are reviewed. Then, methods to tailor the performance of mycelium-based materials are proposed, using synthetic or natural means. Living mycelium-based materials are also considered as an interesting alternative. The potential market opportunities for these products and their distribution are also discussed along with the public acceptance and perception. Overall, this paper complements current reviews on mycelium materials fabrication and properties by highlighting key gaps and challenges to address to allow these materials to enter the market. The paper suggests directions of future research and development for including mycelium-based products in daily life and improving the sustainability of the materials commonly used.