MY-FI · Project

Mushroom-Based Leather Alternative for Automotive and Luxury Textile Markets

manufacturingTestedTRL 6

Imagine growing fabric from mushrooms instead of raising cattle for leather or making plastic-based synthetics. That's exactly what MY-FI did — they took waste from the textile industry, fed it to fungi, and turned the resulting mycelium fibres into high-quality nonwoven fabrics. Think of it as brewing beer, but instead of alcohol you get a material that looks and feels like leather, without the animal or the microplastics. The result is a circular process: textile waste goes in, premium material comes out.

By the numbers

EUR 5,402,393

EU contribution for development and upscaling

consortium partners across the value chain

countries represented in the consortium

SMEs involved in development

47%

industry partner ratio in the consortium

prototype application sectors (automotive and luxury)

The business problem

What needed solving

The textile industry is under intense pressure to eliminate animal leather (ethical and environmental concerns), reduce microplastic pollution from synthetic fabrics, and meet growing consumer demand for sustainable materials. Current alternatives either compromise on quality, still rely on petrochemicals, or cannot scale economically. Companies need a material that is genuinely circular, performs like premium leather, and fits existing manufacturing workflows.

The solution

What was built

MY-FI developed mycelium-based nonwoven fabrics produced through fungal fermentation of textile industry residues. The project delivered working prototype designs for automotive applications and a set of prototypes for luxury applications, along with optimized and upscaled biofabrication, wet processing, and finishing protocols.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive OEMs and Tier 1 interior suppliers replacing leather seats and trimLuxury fashion houses seeking sustainable leather alternatives for handbags and footwearNonwoven textile manufacturers looking to add biobased product linesFurniture and upholstery companies targeting eco-conscious marketsSports and outdoor gear brands eliminating synthetic leather from products

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive interiors

enterprise

Target: Automotive OEMs and Tier 1 interior suppliers

If you are an automotive interior supplier dealing with pressure to eliminate animal leather and reduce microplastic pollution — this project developed mycelium-based nonwoven prototypes specifically designed for automotive applications. The material is fully biobased, generates no microplastics, and was validated by a consortium of 15 partners across 6 countries. It offers a drop-in alternative for seat covers, dashboards, and trim panels.

Luxury fashion and footwear

mid-size

Target: Premium fashion brands and footwear manufacturers

If you are a luxury brand struggling to meet consumer demand for sustainable materials without sacrificing aesthetics — MY-FI created prototype luxury applications using mycelium fibres that match the look and performance of animal leather. The material is fully customizable in texture and finish, produced from circular value chains using textile industry residues. With 7 industry partners involved in development, the material has been designed with commercial viability in mind.

Technical textiles

any

Target: Nonwoven fabric producers and textile converters

If you are a nonwoven fabric manufacturer looking to expand into high-performance biobased markets — this project optimized and upscaled biofabrication protocols for mycelium fibre production, including wet processing and material finishing. The process starts from textile industry residues using mild fermentation conditions, backed by EUR 5,402,393 in EU funding and validated across automotive and luxury sectors.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would this material cost compared to animal leather or synthetic alternatives?

The project data does not include specific unit pricing. However, the production process uses textile industry residues as feedstock and mild fermentation conditions, which suggests competitive raw material costs. As an Innovation Action with EUR 5,402,393 in funding, cost optimization was part of the development scope.

Can this be produced at industrial scale?

The project explicitly focused on optimizing and upscaling biofabrication protocols alongside wet processing and material finishing. With 7 industry partners and 7 SMEs in the consortium, the pathway from lab to production line was a core objective. The closed status (2024) means upscaling work has been completed.

What is the IP situation — can we license this technology?

The project was coordinated by SQIM SRL, an Italian SME, within a 15-partner consortium. IP arrangements would be governed by the consortium agreement. Licensing discussions should be directed to the coordinator or relevant industrial partners.

Does this material meet automotive industry standards and regulations?

The project produced specific prototype designs for the automotive sector as a dedicated deliverable. While detailed certification data is not in the public summary, the involvement of automotive-focused partners and dedicated prototyping suggests regulatory requirements were considered during development.

How long would it take to integrate this into our supply chain?

The project ran for 4 years (2020-2024) and produced working prototypes for both automotive and luxury applications. Based on available project data, the technology has moved beyond lab stage but would likely require 1-2 years of supplier qualification and production ramp-up for commercial integration.

What happens to the material at end of life — is it truly circular?

According to the project objectives, mycelium fabrics are fully biobased, produced from circular value chains using textile industry residues, and do not generate microplastics. The material avoids the end-of-life pollution problems associated with both synthetic textiles and animal leather tanning waste.

Consortium

Who built it

The MY-FI consortium is commercially weighted and well-structured for bringing a product to market. With 15 partners across 6 European countries (Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands), the project covers key Western European manufacturing hubs. The 47% industry ratio — 7 industry partners including 7 SMEs — signals strong commercial intent rather than a purely academic exercise. The coordinator is SQIM SRL, an Italian SME, meaning the driving force is a company with skin in the game, not a university. The presence of 4 research organizations and 1 university provides the scientific backbone, while the industry-heavy composition ensures the technology was developed with real manufacturing constraints in mind.

SQIM SRLCoordinator · IT
CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPAparticipant · IT
BIOPROCESS PILOT FACILITY BVparticipant · NL
ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE LAINDUSTRIA TEXTIL Y COSMETICAparticipant · ES
AXIA INNOVATION GmbHparticipant · DE
BIO BASE EUROPE PILOT PLANT VZWparticipant · BE
ACONDICIONAMIENTO TARRASENSE ASSOCIACIONparticipant · ES
UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHTparticipant · NL
VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTparticipant · DE
NORMEC OWSparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

SQIM SRL (Italy) — an SME coordinating the consortium. Contact via SciTransfer for a warm introduction.

Order a report on this consortium See SQIM SRL profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore mycelium-based textiles for your products? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the MY-FI team and help you evaluate the technology fit for your specific application.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0