Send us a textIf you could ask a living material to help fix our mess, what would you grow first – packaging, panels, or leather? We sit down with Amanda from Fungi Solutions to share how mycelium turns waste streams into durable, lightweight, and compostable products that actually work at scale. From early experiments binding fashion off-cuts to refined packaging that replaces polystyrene, we map the practical steps, the surprises, and the mindset shift from manufacturing to collaboration with living systems.We get specific on biofabrication: substrates, environmental tuning, and the difference between compressive strength and torsion when you’re eyeing the built environment. Amanda walks us through treatments and finishes – waterproofing, laser texturing, surface skins – and why designing for decomposition is a feature, not a flaw. We talk testing before certification, how to manage MOQs as a small team, and the honest limits today: organics are ready now, plastics need pretreatment and more R&D. Along the way, there’s additive manufacturing with mycelium pastes, sculptural interiors people refuse to throw away, and the sensory surprise of a material that feels like cork meets velvet.Zooming out, we explore the circular economy infrastructure at a systems-level scale. From waste mapping, regional feedstock modelling, and how AI might supercharge biomaterials (automating humidity, predicting contamination, and powering local facilities). We celebrate community labs, open-source cultivation, and non-traditional pathways into STEM, because access fuels innovation. And there’s fresh news: mycelium leather is now available for distribution, with R&D underway to push performance and craft. Suppose you are one of those wonderful humans who care about sustainable packaging, biomaterials for construction, regenerative manufacturing, or want to see fungi outcompete foam. In that case, this conversation offers an insightful take from someone who is actively pushing forward in this space.Enjoyed the chat? Follow, share with a friend who geeks out on biodesign, and leave a review to help more people discover these regenerative solutions.Keen to learn more? Check out the links below: AmandaWebsiteStill Curious? Check out what we're up to: Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Blog Or sign up for our newsletter to keep in the loop. This experimental and emergent podcast will continue adapting and evolving in response to our ever-changing environment and the community we support. If there are any topics you'd like us to cover, folks you'd like us to bring onto the show, or live events you feel would benefit the ecosystem, drop us a line at [email protected]. We're working on and supporting a range of community-led, impact-oriented initiatives spanning conservation, bioremediation, synthetic biology, biomaterials, and systems innovation. If you have an idea that has the potential to support the thriving of people and the planet, get in contact! We'd love to help you bring your bio-led idea to life. Otherwise, join our online community of innovators and change-makers via this link.

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