The MycaNova® collection, a Belgian vegan leather alternative made from mycelium

This project brings together Lies Mertens and Belgian material innovators MycaNova® in a shared exploration of material and form. It marks a moment of research, curiosity and making, from which the MycaNova® collection emerged.

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Fungi are one of the most fascinating entities on our planet. Accelerating death to create life, they are Earth’s essential decomposers. But whereas most people associate mushrooms solely with decay, their existence shapes life in so many ways. Fungi have been found to demonstrate spatial recognition, memory, and intelligence, making them more closely related to the animal kingdom than to plants. They contributed to the discovery of penicillin, have been shown to digest plastic, and are responsible for creating the soil beneath our feet – to name just a few examples.

Most interesting, however, are the “roots” of fungi – made up of millions of tiny white threads (hyphae) – that branch into mycelium. Lacing through the soil, they intertwine with the roots of plants, allowing them to share nutrients, water, and even information or danger signals, creating a forest-wide communication and resource-sharing network known as the “Wood Wide Web.” Moreover, tree roots transport carbon to mycelium, which then stores it deep within the Earth, meaning fungi may be key to combating climate change.

In other words, without fungi, (human) life as we know it would not exist.

A deep and personal fascination with this kingdom, combined with our ongoing research in durability and vegan alternatives, led to a collaboration with bio-engineers from Citribel in 2020.

Citribel is a Belgian company specialized in the production of citric acid. They used sugar molasses, a residual product from the nearby sugar factory in Tienen, fermenting it into citric acid, during which mycelium is naturally formed. Until a few years ago, mycelium was considered a waste product. Today, it is dried and ground into powder which, combined with binding agents and backing materials, becomes a vegan leather alternative.

After two years of experimenting, adjusting, and testing materials, a new double up-cycled product was born, named MycaNova®.

In 2023, we launched the MycaNova® collection, comprised of a limited series of 10 unique designs and a re-edition of some of our other models. The collection is designed in-house and the distinctive pattern on each flap is hand-stitched in Antwerp.

Rather than making a radical choice, leather and MycaNova® can coexist. While we value traceable byproduct leather from European suppliers as a durable option, we also recognize the importance of continually exploring scientific alternatives.

We’re proud to be the first label in Belgium and Europe to introduce a ready-to-use, durable collection of luxury handbags made from this material, combining fashion and scientific innovation. It's truly great to see other labels taking similar steps in this direction.

Over time, the material becomes softer and more supple, much like animal leather. It is durable, sturdy and water- and scratch resistant. Unlike other vegan alternatives, MycaNova® replaces 20-60 grams of plastic per square meter with mycelium, creating an organic alternative.

This image captures a Camiel in MycaNova®, after two years of intensive daily use as a workbag, showcasing the material's natural aging process