The research team therefore tried to apply different layers of Fomes fomentarius to everyday products. One of these could act as an impact resistant coating, especially for windshields. The middle layer, softer, could reproduce leather. Finally, the hardest is wood-like and has also been used for centuries as an alternative to kindling to start fires.
The uses of this fungus are therefore numerous. But he’s not the only one who’s caught the attention of researchers. Other studies have indeed shown the interest of fungi in the areas of building materials, packaging or textiles. In particular, a prototype of headphones was developed from mycelium, a structure that makes up the fungus.
This would therefore be a promising alternative to plastic, which is difficult to recycle, and could drastically reduce waste and pollution for a more biodegradable version. However, there is still much to be done before these fungi are massively exploited.
Intensive research and testing is required, and if successful, they should be mass-produced without the need to harvest them from the wild, with the risk of endangering biodiversity. Finally, it would also be necessary to modify the genome to tighten up the most relevant properties. Be that as it may, there is no shortage of ideas on the subject and they are springing up like mushrooms.