A mushroom handbag might sound like a gimmick. A Finnish research team says it is also a sign that fungus could become a new leather-like material.

Science outlet Study Finds reported that the team produced a sheet from mycelium, the interwoven, thread-like fibers fungi grow, and used it to make a prototype handbag. The study was published in ACS Applied Bio Materials in June.

Researchers grew the fungus Trichoderma reesei in liquid fermentation tanks until it formed a pulp-like mass. They then combined the material with additives and dried it into sheets, according to Study Finds.

In tests, the mushroom-based fabric reached 77 percent biodegradation in aquatic conditions after 28 days, according to the study. Cow leather broke down 15 percent over 119 days, while a vinyl-cotton fabric reached 35 percent biodegradation over the same period.

To show the material could be made into a product, the researchers cut, dyed and stitched it into a test handbag.

Study Finds reported that interest in mycelium as a lower-impact material has been growing, but making it strong, flexible and practical for larger-scale manufacturing has been difficult.

In the study, researchers found mycelium on its own produced sheets that were too brittle. Adding sorbitol softened the material, while nanofibrillated cellulose, an ultra-fine wood fiber, improved strength and flexibility, according to Study Finds.

In the best-performing version, the fabric reached about 19 megapascals of tensile strength. Study Finds said that puts it in competition with, and at times above, chrome-tanned cow leather, which is typically reported at 8 to 15 megapascals.

The team also created dyed sheets, textured surfaces and a textile-backed form with improved tear resistance. The mushroom-based fabric extended only about 10 percent before it failed, however, far below conventional leather.

The researchers said existing industrial processes could potentially be adapted to produce and work with the material, instead of building a completely new production system.

“Our work has solved one significant bottleneck, enabling large-scale production of affordable mycelium-based fabrics,” study co-author Manuel Arias-Barrantes said in a press release.

The study did not include a full life cycle assessment. Broader comparisons with animal leather, including water use, energy use and overall environmental impact, still need confirmation.

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