interesting
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Best part of mushroom farming is that those farmers love to take straw bedding.
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Could be. Iām only familiar with the one I worked at, which is closed now and the other one still operating near Osgoode.
No, not jumping on you, jumping on the assertion that eating meat is bad for the environment. It is a great distraction from taking the necessary steps such as cutting dangerous and excessive emissions from power generation, reducing the excessive length of supply chains since shipping is a huge source of greenhouse gases, building inefficient houses that waste valuable and finite resources and waste energy in use, running vehicles that do only 19 miles to the gallon when alternatives are already available etc etc etc. These are difficult, large actions that require political measures and systemic change on a massive scale.
So shouting that āmeat is badā I see as a simplistic response. And cutting out meat to replace it with imported tropical grains or cutting dairy milk to replace it with almond milk grown in a Californian monoculture of an area the size of Rhode Island does not, to me, seem to be a solution.
Iāve been involved in environmental research since the mid-80s. When I began, I was asked why I was even concerned about deforestation. Why is that a problem? Plenty of trees out there. Things have changed, fortunately, but it is not enough. Totally agree with you, on that.
So @Manni01, it was not a personal attack but an artifact of the forum design where it is necessary to quote in order to continue a discussion. I donāt do personal attacks, unless I have my victim face to face, in front of me and able to respond, LOL.
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Very cool.
And an aside, Iām very disappointed in how closed-minded some members of our community are.
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???
You (general) can post on a thread without quoting. I am confused by this part of your comment.
Scroll to the bottom of the thread and hit reply.
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I donāt really think they are. The original post was sort of a joke, and it set the tone for other people to do the same.
Iām certain that if anyone wanted to have a serious discussion about environmental impact of various things, the general response would be open-minded and thoughtful.
At this point, the concept of faux leather is interesting but not really at a point where it is likely to have a true environmental impact.
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iāve been buying some clothing the past few years that are cloth made from alternative natural materials. Gone are the days of the basic four (wool, cotton, linen, silk) being our only selection of natural fibres. So without going into petroleum-based cloth, we now have a wide variety of different textiles that are breathable, wicking, smooth, tough, etc.
I found the mushroom leather interesting because it is a natural alternative to leather. Plastics be damned, now you donāt have only two choices. It is a good thing. I did not mean the original post as a joke. More of a FYI. Here is another FYI about the emerging textiles: https://www.textileworld.com/textile-world/features/2021/04/fiber-world-sustainable-alternative-plant-fibers-for-textiles/
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it is a very interesting proposition.
It is difficult to judge fibres just by their origin. The use dictates the material (at least in my mind)
I prefer cotton, because my skin is sensitive and I canāt afford silk. That does not keep me from using acrylics when I feel it suits the purpose better (or survives better, as in gifts for busy people who donāt have the time for specialty care of wool)
On the other hand, we do have too much fake leather that is bad for the environment. And it does not even make for a good product in most cases.
That is a different problem though, because it is fueled by the seasonal turnover, where itās better to have cheap shoes vs good ones.
one thing wonāt fix the problem.
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the āproblemā for me is aesthetics. I prefer the look feel and knowledge that the item i am wearing is wool, or linen or 100% cotton etc. I like natural fibres. So, for me, the prospect of mushroom leather is a promising alternative to plastic. I actually own three synthetic saddles btw.
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Guys - this new āleatherā is grown in trays, and is a flat rollable material.
NO mushroom or cattle farms involved.
"Fine Mycelium is a materials science and biotechnology breakthrough that is controllable, engineerable, and durable, with a living quality matched only by traditional leather. It is the technology behind Reishiā¢ and the next evolution in biomaterials made with mycelium, a powerful aspect of nature that connects organic life on earth with extravagant tapestries of microscopic threads. Fine Mycelium is not mushroom leather, which is made by compressing myceliumās natural layers of foam into a mat that does not offer the performance and strength of animal or synthetic leathers. Instead, the Fine Mycelium process directs and engineers mycelium cells as they grow to create proprietary cellular structures that are densely entwined and inherently strong, comparable to the tight, triple helix of collagen.
Grown in our proprietary trays, each Fine Mycelium sheet is closely monitored throughout the growth process, allowing full control and actionable traceability from inoculation to harvest: the fullest transparency of process.
Tracking each sheet allows our team of Fine Mycelium experts to pinpoint defining moments in the growth process, applying data to further refine specifications and fine-tune to desired outcomes. Softness, drape, thickness, shape, texture, flexibility, strength and density are just some of the specifications designers can unlock with the Fine Mycelium platform. Delivering uncompromising quality and aesthetic expression, Fine Mycelium can be fully optimized from initial growth to the final stage of harvest."
A centuries old natural fibre. (Which is, incidently, the topic of the conversation)
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About the new natural fibresā¦i have these jammies in āLyocellā and i tell you, it is the smoothest, most breathable, most unwrinkleable natural fabric iāve ever worn.
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Eucalyptus trees (Steer Clear of Koalas) 
"First produced commercially in Mobile, Alabama almost 30 years agoā¦ also Branded as Tencel, Newcell, Excel.
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lol, there are a few steps between tree and fibre. and they are often not kind to nature.
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Bamboo is one of my favorites. It is not as popular so not currently grown as sustainibly as it could but it creates a very soft, durable textile. It is also gread as a hardwood. The floors in my house are bamboo, I have a few pairs of bamboo socks and recently bought one of the most comfortable shirts I own on clearance at the local Dubarry store and yep, itās bamboo.
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Especially what is removed to make room for growing the eucalyptus treesā¦
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My allergy is super weird, if I touch them or really anything containing mushrooms I break out immediately in an itchy, red, splotchy rash. When I eat them Iām hugging the toilet.
So not sure if itās the pores or what. It stinks as my husband loves mushrooms.
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Itās absolutely fascinating and any way to get away from plastic, Iām all for.
I love the cork and bambo alternatives on the market so far.
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Just watched a piece on the news, how rayon destroys the rainforest.
Rayon (and all itās permutations, including Lyocell) is a convoluted subject;
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