MY-FI

Project

The goal of MY-FI is to provide the textile industry with a new nonwoven material made from mycelium fibers, offering improved performance and a lower environmental impact compared to currently commercially available fibers. Mycelium fibers are obtained through fungal fermentation using waste materials from the textile industry and a mild processing method, and can be used to produce sustainable, high-quality nonwoven fabrics. Mycelium fibers can indeed expand the range of applications for nonwoven fabrics to include demanding or luxury applications. Thanks to their properties and aesthetics, mycelium fibers can, for example, be used in the automotive or footwear industries, where animal leather is currently the material of choice. As part of MY-FI, new biofabrication protocols will be optimized and scaled up, along with wet processing and material finishing, to offer a range of innovative solutions that help the textile industry address the challenges arising from the complex megatrends that are rapidly transforming global markets and customer lifestyles. MY-FI’s mission is to develop a bio-based textile with advanced functionalities, sustainability, and performance, pursuing four high-level objectives:

• Enabling the textile industry to successfully address the challenges posed by emerging global trends;
• To meet consumer demand for new functional and sustainable textile products;
• Alleviating the environmental impact associated with the textile industry by developing circular and bio-based textiles that do not generate microplastics;
• Engage stakeholders in the textile sector and guide policymakers.

Mycelium fabrics are indeed fully biobased and sustainable, are obtained through circular value chains, are highly adaptable, deliver excellent performance, and can be produced using advanced manufacturing processes. Thanks to these properties, they have the potential to meet market demand for sustainable, high-quality materials, enabling designers and brands to create more functional products.

Coordinator

MOGU SRL (Italy)

Partners

MOGU SRL (Italy), UNIVERSITY OF UTRECHT (Netherlands), INSTITUT TEXTILE ET CHIMIQUE DE LYON (France), ACONDICIONAMIENTO TARRASENSE ASSOCIATION (Spain), ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE LA INDUSTRIA TEXTIL (Spain), FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FÜR LEDER UND KUNSTSTOFFBAHNEN GGMBH (Germany), BIOPROCESS PILOT FACILITY BV (Netherlands), CONCERIA GAIERA GIOVANNI SPA (Italy), BOND FACTORY SRL (Italy), ORGANIC WASTE SYSTEMS NV (Belgium), CENTRO RICERCHE RIAT SCPA (Italy), VOLKSWAGEN AG (Germany), SPIN 360 SRL (Italy), AXIA INNOVATION UG (Germany)

Responsibilities of Normec OWS

• Work Package 6 Leader
• Evaluation of the biodegradability and organic recyclability of mycelium fabrics

Contact

Mr. Steven Verstichel
[email protected]

This project has received funding from the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No. 887398. The JU is supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the Bio-based Industries Consortium.

Visit the MY-FI website