At the 2025 edition of 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen, Dutch startup Aifunghi captured attention with a series of bio-based furniture pieces made from mycelium, the root structure of fungi. More than a sustainability statement, the brand’s collection signals a breakthrough in scalable, durable, and desirable bio-fabricated furniture.
Founded by Bart Schilder, a former product developer at Moooi and his partner Marije, Aifunghi showcased the world’s first semi-industrially produced mycelium furniture collection. The star of the series? A fuzzy, mushroom-based dining chair that has passed EN16139 Level 1 certification, ensuring it can withstand 30 years of daily use.
“We want to make sustainable design sexy, functional, tactile, and attainable,” says Bart Schilder.
The chair’s core structure is made using Growmolding’s proprietary bio-composite, a blend of hemp fiber and mycelium that is entirely petroleum-free and fully compostable. For cushioning, the brand used seaweed-based Agoprene foam from Norway, and wrapped it in plastic-free faux fur made from nettle, flax, and hemp fibers, a material previously used by fashion label GANNI.
In addition to the chair, Aifunghi debuted the Campinio lamp, which pairs mycelium with vegetal fur, and the Bolete side table, featuring a cushioned base and tabletop made from melted recycled glass. The brand has already established a semi-industrial facility in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, with an annual production capacity of 1,200 pieces, marking a pivotal shift from experimental to scalable sustainable design.
Aifunghi’s launch formed part of the Matters of Material exhibition, alongside notable names like Lee Broom and Kusheda Mensah, underlining a broader industry trend sustainability no longer lives in the margins, it’s taking center stage, and looking good doing it.
Source: 77° Global Furnishings Media
