MY-FI Newsletter: issue 2
Global climate change, political agendas, and consumers’ demands are pushing all industries in a move towards sustainable processes and products. The H2020 MY-FI project aims to answer this demand by providing textile, fashion, automotive, and luxury industries with innovative, biobased, and sustainable materials derived from mycelium. Mycelium is the vegetative part of fungi and allows growing innovative materials on plant matter and organic substrates. Through fungal fermentation carried out on residues from other industries, mycelium can be grown and processed into clusters of myco-fibers to produce advanced materials, taking advantage of their unique properties while valorising industrial byproducts and leftovers.?
Anke Mondschein, WP2 project leader FILK Freiberg Institute GmbH?
Within the MY-FI project, mycelium materials should be transformed into leather-like materials. The naturally grown mycelium sheets have an extraordinary soft touch and silky feel. However, mechanical properties need to be improved to reach high level performances. During our investigations in wet processing treatments, we strive to increase mycelium characteristics, such as tear strength and elongation, while maintaining the unique mycelium touch.
Meet us
FILK
Who we are
Filk is a branch institute of the leather and plastic sheeting industries, founded in 1889 as German tanning school. FILK has a long-lasting expertise in leather production, processing and characterisation. Starting with artificial leather substitutes, the production, processing and characterisation of various plastic fabrics (conventional as well as biopolymers) has become the other major department at FILK.?
Our role in MY-FI
FILK is the WP2 leader for the MY-FI project. The company is responsible for the development of technological solutions to improve the mycelium fabrics properties. FILK is working on chemical and enzymatic deacetylation of the mycelium materials: the resulting free amino groups will be functionalized with different reagents in order to improve mechanical and chemical performances.?
Contacts
WP2 Leader: Anke Mondschein?
BPF
Who we are
BPF is a Dutch unique public pilot facility with extensive experience in the piloting of biobased processes since the 1960s. BPF owns over 250 pieces of piloting equipment and employs about 40 people, making it a world-class facility to scale up biobased processes. BPF allows the project to reach pilot scale at a fraction of the costs of having to design and construct new pilot equipment.
Our role in MY-FI
BPF is the WP3 leader for the MY-FI project. The company is responsible for the scaling of Dynamic Liquid Fermentation (DLF) process. The goal is to develop an optimized process that can deliver consistent results, easily translatable into industrial scale. Moreover, a fully automated strategy for downstream processing is under development at their facility.?
Contacts
Contact person: Joana Pereira?
Focus on WP2
Work Package 2 focuses on mycelium fabric wet processing and finishing. It is led by FILK, supported by the active collaboration of Mogu, University of Utrecht, Itech, Leitat, Aitex and France Croco, and guided by the precious feedback of industrial partners, such as Bond Factory, Centro Ricerche Fiat and Volkswagen AG. The main goal of Work Package 2 is to increase the material performances and properties to reach appealing aesthetics and advanced functionalities for applications in the fashion and automotive industries. The first step of the transformation process is wet processing, aiming at enhancing the mycelium fibres properties, in accordance with the peculiar material composition. Then, surface functionalization, performed by cutting-edge technologies, prepares the material for dyeing and coating, to give mycelium fibres the desired characteristics. Bio-based polymers and natural dyes are tested during the process. The mycelium material can be also coupled with supporting fabrics to obtain a multilayer product for different uses. Finally, semi-finished mycelium fabrics are tested for mechanical properties and abrasion resistance, as well as color fastness, according to the defined standards for the intended applications.?
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Latest news
My-Fi second General Meeting?
From April 27th to 29th, ITECH hosted the third MY-FI technical meeting and the second General Meeting in Lyon. These days offered the opportunity to witness some technical demonstrations with the equipment used by ITECH researchers within the MY-FI, and to touch and feel the results of the transformation process on mycelium fabrics. Check out our website to stay updated about the latest news!?
My-Fi Project Progress: Work Package 7?
AXIA Innovation is carrying out the landscape analysis for myce- lium-based fabrics. The scope of this activity is to approach the existing and developing market addressed by the outcomes of the project. The outer goal of this analysis is the contribution to an effective exploitation plan, enhancing the impact of the H2020 MY-FI project. Check out our website to stay updated about the latest news!?
Progress in mycelium-based material production?
Lately, the MY-FI project focused on the optimization of the biofabrica- tion process for mycelium-based materials. It is necessary to ensure high quality standards of the raw material to match needs from the automotive, fashion and leather industries. MOGU was able to match the study of biological pathways with mycelium-based biofabrication processes, improving raw material production processes. Find out more on our website.?
MY-FI round table at Lineapelle?
On September 20th, MY-FI partners had the chance to introduce mycelium fibres at Lineapelle, the most important leather fair in Italy. Our twin projects, HEREWEAR and New Cotton, joined the Round Table on circular next-gen materials, bringing their precious experience and sharing best practices. Follow them to learn more about their ambitious goals! We are looking forward to collaborating again soon.
Twin projects
Launched in October 2020, the EU funded twin projects share a common goal to develop holistic bio-based solutions for some of the fashion industry’s biggest sustainability challenges. The projects come together to share knowledge to amplify value and impact for each project and the fashion industry. Bringing together key players from across the value chain, each project focuses on combining technology innovation, data sharing and collaboration to develop scalable solutions for a more sustainable model of textile production.?
Silvia Gava, Project Coordinator?
Mogu s.r.l.?
via San Francesco d’Assisi 62?
21020 Inarzo (VA) – Italy?
phone: +39 03321802141??
email: [email protected]
Learn more about MY-FI: MY- FI website?, My-Fi Twitter account