Elizabeth Marley’s presentation introduces Grow-It-Yourself methods and projects that use the magic of biofabrication, where mycelium, mushrooms, and other biological organisms produce renewable materials. These mediums are stronger than you might think — they can be heat-resistant, water-resistant, and biodegradable. Plus they might help clean the environment! Her talk from Maker Faire Bay Area 2024 covers examples of fashion, electronics, and architecture applications, along with some tips and resources on how you can grow your own materials.
Biofabrication can refer to leather or fungi. Really, any material that’s grown counts. And mycelium is particularly easy to grow, surprisingly versatile, and good for all sorts of applications — electronics included. The material comparison chart slide is packed with information.
“Discovering new materials that have less negative impact on our environment is at the forefront of my biodesign and biomaterial explorations. I find sharing the growing GIY community, projects, and array of possibility with a wider audience fulfilling and necessary for addressing ways to use renewable and ecologically sound materials to replace wasteful materials proliferated by consumer culture, fast fashion, and building industries.”
Elizabeth Marley
Elizabeth Marley is an educator, maker, and architect who enjoys Biodesign adventures, participatory public art, and inter-species collaboration to fabricate eco-friendly creations. We interviewed her in 2023.
In this talk, she covers the basics of biofabrication and good target uses for mycelium materials. She goes into depth showing how to create a form step-by-step, and offers pointers for growing your own raw mushroom materials. Plus, attendees had a chance to feel samples of coffee, kombucha, and mycelium leathers.
Biofabrication is at the exciting edge of materials science. Although depending on your situation, it might be easier to turn traditional materials into fungi.