• Ecovative Design, a producer of packaging materials using mycelium-based fungus, has launched Forager, a new division for the designing, marketing, and manufacturing of its mycelium-based leather products for the fashion and automotive industries. Forager is expected to be unveiled at the Materials Innovation Initiative Conference in May this year.

• The new division will produce hides and foams at a commercial scale under the Forager brand leveraging Ecovative’s AirMycelium technology. Forager’s mycelium-based products are biodegradable, compostable, and can be customized (in terms of density, strength, etc.) to meet the standards and requirements of the fashion and automotive industry.  

<ul><li>Forager expects to secure partnerships with leading brands as a part of the Fashion for Good Cooperative initiative , offering mycelium hides and foams necessary for the development of sustainable products.</ul>

<ul><li> Analyst QuickTake: The launch of Forager comes amidst Ecovative’s increasing focus on deploying its new mycelium leather product across a variety of end products and consumer applications such as clothing, footwear, and fashion accessories. On the road toward this goal, Ecovative Design also unveiled its new 100,000 lb/year mycelium production platform last year . Apart from Forager, Ecovative operates three other divisions: MycoFlex (mycelium foam), MycoComposite (that converts agricultural byproducts), and Atlast Food Co. (it’s plant-based meat division).</ul>