Mycomaterials with Jessica Dias and Catherine Euale
Jan 10, 2024
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Today we have Jessica Dias and Catherine Euale, bio babes from Fungal Matters, discussing their work in mycomaterials. They cover topics such as mycelial surfboards, bacterial electricity, mycelial clothing, mycocomposites, and more. They also touch on challenges in the film industry, glass jewelry with slime mold, wearable bio data sonification, generating charge with bacterial proteins, and the future of mycomaterials.
Jessica and Catherine discuss their work with biomaterials, particularly fungi materials, and the challenges of funding their projects.
They explore the concept of creating sustainable clothing and accessories using biomaterials and emphasize the importance of shifting consumer perspectives towards more sustainable and biodegradable materials.
They express their awe and fascination with fungi and mycelium, emphasizing the interconnectedness between humans and fungi and the importance of recognizing the agency and role of these organisms in the natural world.
Deep dives
Working with Biomaterials
Jessica and Catherine discuss their work with biomaterials, particularly fungi materials. They share their backgrounds and how they got introduced to fungi and biomaterials. Jessica studied architecture and became fascinated by the growth of organisms, leading her to explore different biomaterials and eventually focus on fungi. Catherine, coming from a background in film and costume design, wanted to find sustainable alternatives to traditional materials and became interested in working with fungi. They talk about the challenges of funding their projects and the importance of community in the biomaterials field.
Creating Sustainable Future Wardrobes
The discussion moves on to future wardrobe projects, where Jessica and Catherine explore the concept of creating sustainable clothing and accessories using biomaterials. They share their experiences with making bio-wearables and bio-data sonification devices. They talk about their experiments with different materials, such as kelp and bioluminescent bacteria, and the challenges of designing functional and environmentally-friendly garments. They emphasize the importance of shifting consumer perspectives towards more sustainable and biodegradable materials.
The Fascination with Fungi
Jessica and Catherine express their awe and fascination with fungi and mycelium. They discuss the rewards and challenges of working with these organisms, including the patience required and the lessons learned about respect for living organisms. They also mention the joy of seeing the mycelium and mushrooms grow and the mindfulness and grounding effects of working with them. They emphasize the interconnectedness between humans and fungi and the importance of recognizing the agency and role of these organisms in the natural world.
Sustainable Scaling and Future Projects
The conversation shifts to the challenges of scaling up biomaterial production and the need for funding and resources. Jessica shares her experience with scaling up her surfboard project and the establishment of a mushroom farm and production center. Catherine discusses her interest in collaborating with others in various environmental rehabilitation projects and the importance of preserving and revitalizing ecosystems. They express their excitement for future projects, including exploring DNA barcoding and biomimicry applications.
Bridging Art, Design, and Science
Jessica and Catherine delve into the fusion of art, design, and science in their work. They highlight the importance of playfulness and experimentation in their creative process. They emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaborations and knowledge-sharing in the biomaterials field. They express their gratitude for the supportive and open fungal community and their passion for inspiring others through their courses, workshops, and online resources.
Today we sit down with the two bio babes, Jessica Dias and Catherine Euale, from Fungal Matters, who have their hands deep in the world of mycomaterials. Their work spans across various projects such as mycelial surfboards, to bacterial electricity, mycelial clothing, an online masterclass, mycocomposites and so mush more.
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