Mushroom insulation emerges as top solution for EU textile waste

Latvian researchers reviewing 27 studies have found fungi-based (mycelium) insulation to be the most promising reuse option for fast-fashion waste, as Europe prepares for mandatory separate textile collection from 2025.

The analysis highlights growing urgency around managing unsorted and mixed textile waste, which still dominates clothing and home textile disposal across the EU.

Assessing reuse pathways against environmental, economic, technical and social criteria, the researchers conclude that mycelium-based composites for thermal insulation offer the strongest overall potential. The material can be produced by growing Pleurotus pulmonarius on a blend of agro-industrial residues and ground textile waste, making the process adaptable, relatively simple to scale and economically promising compared with other recycling options.

Textile-reinforced composites for construction ranked second, followed by recovery of fibres and intermediates such as cotton, nylon, spandex monomers and BHET, which could help close the recycling loop.

Chemical recycling into bio-oil and terephthalic acid showed strong technical readiness but scored lower on environmental impact due to high emissions, the European Commission said in a release.

The findings are closely aligned with broader European policy initiatives, including the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, which aims to ensure a substantial share of textiles placed on the EU market are recycled by 2030. Proposed extensions to Extended Producer Responsibility would require manufacturers to take greater responsibility for the full life cycle of textile products, increasing pressure to develop viable end-of-life solutions.

While the research provides valuable guidance on where investment and policy support might be most effective, the authors stress that further work is essential. They recommend deeper technical testing of mycelium-based materials, alongside more detailed economic, environmental and social impact assessments, before pilot projects or commercial deployment can begin.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)