UK: Researchers develop vegan leather that can repair itself

Unlike other profit-driven companies, the researchers have not kept their methods a secret. They are even promoting the idea of copying its innovation to help other researchers and scientists make more advanced mushroom materials.

Life might become much happier if pricey leather bags or jackets could repair themselves. Scientists now believe that such jackets or fabric could be developed one day if fashioned from a special fungus.

It must be noted that a lot of companies already make fungal leather. Some use it to make products like purses, car seats and covers. The industry caters to those consumers who use goods made without animal products.

But that process generally leads to stopping the fungus from ever growing again. The new process however lets it retain that ability.

Researchers in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, sourced their leather fabric from a material called mycelium (My-SEE-lee-um). It’s an interwoven, thread-like structure, made by mushrooms.

The material generally grows underground, beneath a mushroom and helps the fungus absorb nutrients from the dead things such as logs.The team of researchers worked on the idea to let the fungus retain its re-growing ability even when transformed into a fabric. They tried and the idea worked.

Unlike other profit-driven companies, the researchers have not kept their methods a secret. They are even promoting the idea of copying its innovation to help other researchers and scientists make more advanced mushroom materials.

To develop the self-healing fabric, the scientists relied on a mushroom from Asia, called Ganoderma lucidum. It is believed to have several medicinal properties.

Watch: Big win for sustainable fashion | Self-repairing vegan leather

So, researchers took out the mushroom’s mycelium and mixed it with a soup of nutrients, such as proteins and carbohydrates.

Over time, a layer formed over the surface of that liquid. The researchers took that layer off and applied glycerol to it to keep the skin flexible.

The next step involved cleaning and drying the fabric at 40 degrees Celsius. At this stage, it is so flexible and soft that it gets torn easily.

This is the most important step as the chemicals and the temperature preferred for making the leather were kept so mild and accurate that it allowed some of the mycelium to remain alive and operational.

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These were little nodule-shaped bits called chlamydospores (Klah-MID-oh-sporrs). When conditions are prime, they can spring to life and grow more threads.

The researchers conclude that to help the ripped fabric regrow itself, it must be soaked into the same liquid prepared after mixing the mycelium and nutrients.

Scientists even tested their method by punching holes in the leather fabric and then allowing it to regrow itself.

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