Fungi have more to offer than meets the eye. Their thread-like cells, which grow extensively and out of sight underground like a network of roots, offer huge potential for producing sustainable, biodegradable materials. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam Science Park are using this mycelium to develop a wide range of recyclable products, from wallets and insulation to packaging.
A few years ago I saw an article about an art exhibit or some such, where a guy made furniture out of mycelium. It make me wonder if we could create bricks for building out of sawdust, grow mushrooms to eat, and then either plasticize or something better to harden them off to the elements. I never bothered to try, though.