MYX is the name of both the lamp and the material. The textile material is based on mycelium (the vegetative part of fungi), hence MYX. The lamp is grown over a three-week period where the mycelium creates a vast network of threads that ‘glue’ the fibres together. After the three-week growing period, edible oyster mushrooms can be harvested, and the lamp is dried out. After drying, the mycelium is no longer active, and the strong and light-weight material is safe to use as an organic, sustainable and fully bio-degradable lamp shade.
MYX lamp is the result of Jonas Edvard Nielsen’s graduation project, which focused on solutions for domestic waste. He found inspiration in nature, especially fungi, which play a central role in the ecological recycling system. In an experimental process he discovered a new material and developed a concept for using left-over plant fibre and mushroom mycelium left over from commercial mushroom production to create a material that can be moulded and fixated in shape. With the project he wishes to challenge our understanding of living products and create a sustainable approach to product design, where industrial products can enable us to have a positive footprint in our daily lives.