Hi Everyone! Back again! After my previous post where I studied the Piñatex fabric, I have now come across another sustainable fabric which has certainly intrigued me. The current fabric I am looking at is called Muskin, which is a mushroom skin material. Muskin comes from the Phellinus ellipsoideus, which is a type of wild mushroom species home to subtropical forests that attack tree trunks. Extracts are taken from the top of the Mushroom and It can be dried out in a lab and shaped to mimic animal skinned leather.
Furthermore, there are many eco benefits to this vegetable material which firstly include the most obvious reason, the fact that it is vegan! Secondly, its non-toxic tanning process. The tanning process of real animal leather requires a vast number of toxic chemicals including salts, these things include a large amount of pollutants, the process of tanning is done so that the leather cannot biodegrade and rot. The exposure to these dangerous chemicals can lead to serious health risks such as cancer, damage to the liver and malfunctions of the immune system. Finally, Muskin is 100% Biodegradable which is important as it means it can be broken down by enzymes whereas plastic takes 500-1000 years to degrade!
Other positives include the fact that the material is breathable and versatile due to being mouldable. Muskin is a thermal insulator and is a more waterproof than animal leather, it absorbs dampness and then releases it. Muskin is durable and strong which is important considering the fact it is used to create a variety of products including bags and shoes. The vegetable leather can come into contact with skin due to the Muskin containing no harmful chemicals and due to the limit of bacteria. Muskin can be grown and produced a lot faster compared the process of animal skinned leather. The process has low water and energy requirement whereas during the creation of animal leather a massive amount of the water supply is used.
Like all things there may be future issues with this product, which include possibilities like climate change affecting the growth of the Phellinus ellipsoideus. As demand increases for this Muskin leather the price of the fabric could increase, right now it is a cheap alternative but this could easily change. Research is still being carried out about this Muskin material and expenses could rise if something is discovered to make the material a better version than it already is.
All things Faux.