Sustainable lamps made from mushrooms

Sustainable lamps made from mushrooms

Designers are taking inspiration from more and more unique things to create what they want and the pieces we’re sharing today are inspired by mushrooms!

London-based designer Nir Meiri has created a range of table lamps using mushroom mycelium as an alternative to synthetic materials. The shades for each of the minimal table lamps are made from mycelium – the vegetative part of a mushroom – while more traditional metal makes up the stem and base. Each lamp is lit from below by a separate light source that projects onto the mycelium screen to create a soft, natural glow. All lamps are manufactured using naturally occurring biological processes.

To create the shadows, waste paper is placed in a shaped mound before mycelial spores are introduced and allowed to grow under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. After two weeks, the paper waste is consumed by the fungus, leaving a mycelial base with fungus growing from it. This material is then taken off the mound and allowed to dry, and the excess fungus that has grown is removed. Once the mycelium is completely dry, it is pressed into a flat substance that is used as a lampshade.