A systematic qualitative review fungal mycelium as a nextgeneration sustainable material

Abstract

This review summarises research on the key characteristics of fungal mycelium as a sustainable material, focusing on its structural properties, biodegradability, growth efficiency, potential applications in industries such as construction, packaging, and textiles, and its comparison with other sustainable materials to address variability in performance and scalability challenges. The study aimed to evaluate data on structure, biodegradability, and growth efficiency, compare mycelial composites with sustainable alternatives, identify industrial applications and environmental impacts, and analyse the influence of fungal species, substrates, and processing methods. An analysis of interdisciplinary studies was conducted, focusing on mechanical testing, biodegradation assessments, and growth optimisation techniques. The results show that the mechanical strength of mycelial composites varies with fungal species and substrate, and some studies report performance comparable to selected conventional materials in property-specific laboratory tests under non-standardised conditions; however, water sensitivity still limits durability. The literature suggests biodegradability under controlled conditions; however, rates vary with substrate and coatings, and durability–compostability trade-offs remain, particularly for indoor and long-lived products. Growth efficiency benefits from optimised substrates and environmental conditions, enabling scalable production innovations such as 3D printing. Applications range from building insulation, packaging, and textiles to new biomedical uses, demonstrating the versatility but also limited commercial adoption. Comparative assessments reported in the literature frequently indicate lower carbon footprints and energy requirements than those of selected synthetic materials, although results depend strongly on assessment boundaries, assumptions, and production scale. These results underline the potential of mycelium as a renewable, biodegradable material, but also highlight the need for standardised methods and validation at an industrial scale. This study provides information for the development of sustainable materials and provides structured evidence base for the development in the context of the circular bioeconomy.