When it comes to waste, AGI Denim is thinking outside the box.
The vertically integrated denim manufacturer has partnered with New York-based Ecovative, a leader in mycelium technology, to transform post-consumer waste denim into sustainable architectural and interior design materials. Their first product is mycelium bricks made from discarded jeans.
Ecovative harnesses mycelium growth to create solid webs, resulting in natural, biodegradable materials for textiles, packaging and food alternatives. Mycelium is the root-like fiber of fungi that form a web structure, supporting mushroom growth and nutrient exchange in diverse ecosystems.
In fashion, mycelium has been primarily used an eco-friendly alternative to leather by Vivobarefoot, Pangaia Ganni, Stella McCartney and Hermès.
By selecting the right strain and creating optimal conditions, Ecovative and AGI Denim have developed an innovative process to cultivate mycelium by incorporating recycled post-consumer waste denim fibers into the feed mix. The substrate can be molded into various forms and biologically cemented together through the natural growth of the mycelium.
AGI will showcase the bricks this week at Kingpins New York in an exhibition called “Recycled Denim to Mycelium Constructs.” The installation encourages attendees to reimagine the possibilities of denim beyond fashion. Decorative columns are created by laying the bricks in an ombre pattern, highlighting a range of denim shades resulting from varying amounts of recycled blue jeans.
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The goal is to show a scalable approach to sustainability, where the amount of recycled content can be adapted to meet different needs and standards, AGI stated.
“I have always had a fascination with fungi and their role as decomposers in nature,” said Henry Wong, AGI Denim’s VP of product development and marketing. “The potential application in solving the large-scale challenges we face as humans is so exciting. We are fortunate for this opportunity to work with such an innovative company like Ecovative to explore how their technologies can inspire the denim world.”
Additionally, AGI’s newly created creative consultancy, The Agency, has designed a collection of garments incorporating Ecovative’s Forager Foam.
The high-performance, open-cell pure mycelium foam is made using the company’s innovative AirMycelium technology, which guides pure mycelium to rise into dense tissues that mimic flesh, technical foams, or other complex structures. The material is breathable, insulating, water-repellant, and naturally fire-resistant.