Going beyond speculative design, we deliver tangible products that influence both industry and consumer behavior.

Growing Goods

MushLume is an award-winning biofabricated lighting collection that is GROWN, not manufactured, from mycelium—the roots of mushrooms.

The lampshades are grown utilizing a sustainable crop—hemp—that is combined with a rapidly renewable living organism—mycelium. In just a few days, the mycelium grows, cultivating a thick network of hyphae that binds to the hemp substrate, solidifying into a solid structure within the custom lampshade molds. After the mycelium has fully matured, the lampshades are demolded, dried and heated, creating a stable, inert and 100% biodegradable product.

Sustainability

By tapping into a unique material science that uses mushroom mycelium, we can begin to reimagine a more sustainable future, one in which natural resources are not extracted from nature, but rather are grown in a lab. And where production processes require very little energy or water. Most importantly, when the product is at the end of its lifecycle, it can safely return to the Earth adding nutrients back to the soil rather than lasting for hundreds of years or releasing toxins.

  • Our mycelium is grown in a lab, not extracted from nature. For our substrate, we use a part of the plant that is a byproduct of the hemp industry. Hemp requires significantly less land and water to grow compared to other natural fiber plants and sequesters carbon dioxide into the soil. That’s a huge win for Mother Nature!

  • Mycelium has an exponential growth rate, taking days to weeks to fully colonize, while hemp is one of the fastest growing fiber plants, maturing in only 60-90 days. Compare these growth cycles to other conventional raw materials like wood (20-30 years) or cotton-based fibers (130-160 days) and the difference is dramatic!

  • Hemp requires about half as much water as other fiber crops, while mycelium requires very little water during the growing process. No additional electrical energy is needed during the mycelium growing process, the lampshades are grown using only the power of Nature!

  • Rated home-compostable at the end of its life, the lampshade can safely biodegrade in your backyard compost, adding nutrients to the soil rather than pollutants.

  • Indoor air quality is a growing concern for human health given we spend 70-90% of our time indoors. The lampshades are all natural! That means no off-gassing of harmful toxins into the air.

  • All our packaging is upcycled and/or recyclable paper-based products:

    • Shipping box - recyclable cardboard

    • Hardware sleeve - recycled padded paper mailer

    • Cushioning - recycled paper wadding

    • Filler - recycled paper

    • Tape - recyclable reinforced paper

    • Stamped with Algae Ink

Good for People and Planet

Mycelium in petri dish
mushrooms
mycelium samples
MushLume Mycelium Growing

BioDesign: Paving the Way

With over 15 years of research and development, this biomaterial is no longer at an experimental phase. We’ve proven that biofabricated products are not only a viable consumer good, but at scale, can help to shift an industry into a more resilient and symbiotic future.

The award-winning MushLume Lighting Collection is one of the first successfully commercialized biofabricated products made available in the global market. And the first mycelium-grown lighting collection to be launched within the lighting industry. Our story and products continue to inspire entrepreneurs and designers across the globe to begin their own mycelium journeys. As more and more biodesign companies and biofabricated products emerge on the scene the greater validation and momentum the biodesign movement garners.

Creating Legacy

MushLumeWantedDesign2014

2014

Danielle Trofe launched The MushLume Lighting Collection during NYC design week

Interior Design Best of Year 2017

2015 - 2017

MushLume Lighting wins multiple international design awards (scroll down for details)

2018

MushLume Lighting UK

MushLume Lighting starts selling in Europe through retail partners

2020

MushLume Lighting Studio

MushLume Lighting scales U.S. production through partnerships

2023

MushLume Hemi Pendant

MushLume Lighting launches in Europe selling under its own brand

 MushLume FAQs

  • The color of the mycelium skin is naturally white. Over time the skin will age and take on a slightly more golden hue. If you wish to maintain a bright white exterior, select our white milk paint option or explore the other color options we have available in limewash paint.

  • Our oldest lampshades are 10+ years old and are still looking beautiful! Even though the material is biodegradable, as an indoor lighting application the material is stable and inert and will bring you many years of design satisfaction.

  • To clean the shade of dust, please use a duster and gently brush the exterior shade. Do not use any liquids or cleaners.

  • The lighting is rated for indoor use only. Dry, climate-controlled environments are best. If using for a bathroom or kitchen application, please consider our painted options to best preserve the material from moisture and airborne grease.

  • Yes! Need a longer length of cord? A different colored cord? Need modifications or a different size lampshade? We can accommodate many requests. Please send an email to info@mushlumelighting.com

  • The lampshade is grown using mushroom mycelium, but will definitely not taste like a mushroom. And we do not recommend ingesting your lampshade. However, your lampshade is made from only natural materials that are safe and healthy for both people and the planet.

Meet the Team

We are passionate about good design, connecting with Nature, merging disciplines, learning through exploration and keeping it small, local and true to ourselves. Brooklyn-based, woman-owned and always expanding into new frontiers, we are MushLume Lighting.

Danielle Trofe

  • Founder | BioDesigner | Biomimicry Specialist

    Danielle founded her studio in 2011 with the goal to make sustainable design both accessible and attractive. With an emphasis on biofabrication and biomimicry, much of her work upholds a fundamental value of nature and embodies a systems thinking approach that benefits all life on this planet. Danielle holds a BS in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from Florida State University, a MA in Design from the Florence Design Academy and a MS in Biomimicry from Arizona State University. She is also a certified Biomimicry Specialist through Biomimicry 3.8 and has taught courses on biodesign and biomimicry at The Pratt Institute and Parsons The New School.

Lujah Brown

  • Design Studio Manager

    Lujah has experience in studio management, biofabrication and collaborative procurement of large-scale event installations. She received a Bachelors in Fine Arts from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she developed a deep passion for creating thoughtful storytelling through the use of various materials and media such as installation, film, video and writing. Her journey with MushLume Lighting began when she joined Danielle Trofe Design in 2022, finding joy in exploring new ways of co-creating with mycelium and exercising her immense adoration for fungi.

Mycelium

  • Living Organism | Biofabricator

    The vegetative part of a fungus, or better known as the roots of mushrooms! This incredible organism is truly one of nature’s greatest wonders. Responsible for distributing water and nutrients to all plants in a forest, mycelium is not only a distributor of vital resources in an ecosystem, but a connector of information and communication. Ever compare the image of the world wide web to that of a mycorrhizal network? Nearly identical in form!

In the Press

On Air

NPR The Hidden Powers of Fungi
Green & Healthy Places
Merging Futures Podcast

Awards & Recognitions

  • On view 2022-2023, MushLume Cup Light Pendant in the Food of New York Exhibit

  • 2017 Finalist for the MushLume Lighting Installation at the 1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

  • 2015 Notable Award for The MushLume Lighting Collection in the Professional Furniture & Lighting Category

  • 2016 Finalist for the Cup Light Table Lamp in the Table Lamp category

  • 2015 Winner for The MushLume Lighting Collection in lighting