Cadillac just announced it’s getting closer to developing a mushroom leather strong enough for automotive applications.
In 2022, we reported that General Motors bought a stake in MycoWorks, the California company producing mycelium, a material derived from fungi that can be made to look and feel like leather. Now Cadillac says it’s close to using it in cars.
“Cadillac, a pioneer in automotive innovation, is collaborating with MycoWorks to develop a new class of material for high-performance automotive interiors,” then automaker recently said in statement. “This new material, intended to one day have the same applications as leather, incorporates mycelium, which is the renewable root structure of mushrooms, and other bio-based ingredients.”
Unlike genuine leather, which is sourced from cattle farms, this “mushroom leather” is grown in only a matter of weeks in a lab. Proponents say it out performs leather in many ways. It’s also carbon-neutral and biodegradable.
What’s more, mushroom leather can be grown in specific shapes and sizes, eliminating waste altogether.
“Grown using MycoWorks technology — Fine Mycelium — this material may eventually enable Cadillac to deliver the high-end aesthetic the brand is known for today using renewable materials,” Cadillac said. “Additionally, the future goal of Fine Mycelium is to provide superior strength, offering potential improvements in weight reduction and efficiency while still meeting the most stringent of quality requirements.”
The bio-based material isn’t yet ready for use in vehicles. But Cadillac says it’s getting there. For now, they’re producing small items like card holders to see how the material holds up.
“Cadillac’s color, materials and finishes design team is actively exploring further applications for this revolutionary material and is excited about the possibilities,” the automaker said.
In other words, Cadillacs may soon be trimmed in mushroom leather.