Mushroom Magnets

Magnets made of mushrooms

Role: Creative Technologist

Tasks: Design magnets, 3D rendering, laser cutting

Technology: Adobe Illustrator, Vectorworks

Given the plethora of material options for laser cutters that are bad for the environment, I wanted to experiment with an up-and-coming (yet old as time) material – mushroom fungus (referred to as myco foam).

Bag of myco foam

Purchased a GIY (grow it yourself) kit from Evocative, let the myco foam grow, put it in the oven to harden and kill it, and then laser cut.

Baking sheet of cooked mushrooms

Myco foam is great for etching, but it cuts very poorly and burns easily.

Laser etched mushroom on mushroom

It's also good for surprising friends by etching their faces on it.

Rebecca Ricks holding a piece of mushroom with her face etched on it