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Chinese researchers create self-cleaning, regenerative living textiles
Environmental assessments found the fungus-based fabric degrades in 41 days, supporting a circular fashion use case.
Chinese scientists have developed a method to make clothing and textiles from a fungus that can self-clean and regenerate, according to a study published in China.
The research team, led by the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, used Cordyceps militaris, also known as caterpillar fungus, to produce threadlike structures that can be scaled into durable engineered living materials.
The material can be customized with other microorganisms, including adding color or adding protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays.
A sustainability focus ran through the findings, with environmental assessments indicating the textile degrades within 41 days, which researchers said could support circular fashion designed to be reused or recycled.
The work targets a longstanding scaling challenge for engineered living materials, which often struggle to keep living cells functional as they are built into larger structures, the outlet SCMP Economy said.