Lighting the Way: How Our Products Transform Spaces and the Planet
In today's world, “sustainability” is no longer a buzzword—it's a necessity. As environmental concerns become increasingly urgent, designers, architects and homeowners are seeking ways to create spaces that are not only beautiful but are also kind to our planet. Lighting, a crucial element in any design, plays a significant role in this shift towards eco-friendly practices.
The choices we make in lighting and design affect both the ambiance of our spaces and the environment at large. Traditional lighting solutions often come with hidden environmental costs, from the extraction of raw materials to energy-intensive manufacturing processes. The rising demand for sustainable alternatives has paved the way for innovative solutions that marry aesthetics with environmental responsibility.
However, the current landscape presents a dilemma: many sustainable products lack the design appeal that discerning clients desire, while high-design products may not prioritize sustainability. Customers are seeking a unique approach that doesn't force a compromise between elegance and eco-consciousness.
MushLume Terrace Table Lamp grown using rapidly renewable, living mycelium and sustainably sourced hemp.
The Problem with Traditional Lighting Manufacturing
Conventional lighting production is fraught with environmental challenges. The process often begins with the extraction of finite natural resources like metals and petroleum-based plastics. These materials require significant energy to process and manufacture, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and depleting valuable resources.
Additionally, traditional manufacturing generates substantial waste and often involves the use of harmful chemicals. Components like plastics, synthetic resins and chemical coatings can off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into indoor environments, affecting air quality and human health.
Why It Matters:
The environmental degradation resulting from these practices is alarming. Resource extraction disrupts ecosystems, high energy consumption accelerates climate change and waste generation contributes to pollution.
A Promising Alternative
Luckily, an emerging practice called biofabrication—using a living organism to grow a product—has begun to take root in the lighting, home goods and fashion industries. This practice creates goods that are grown to shape, with little to no waste, uses a fraction of natural resources such as raw materials and water, all while generating a much lower, if not carbon negative or neutral imprint. MushLume Lighting biofabricates lampshades using sustainably sourced hemp and living mycelium.
Mycelium in a Petri dish.
Discovering Mycelium: Nature's Sustainable Solution
What Is Mycelium?
Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus—essentially the root system of mushrooms. It's a vast, interconnected network of tiny fibers called hyphae that permeate soil and organic matter. Mycelium acts as nature's recycler, breaking down organic materials and returning nutrients to the ecosystem.
Threads of mycelium hyphae growing outward from source
Unique Properties of Mycelium
Rapid Renewability: Mycelium grows at an exponential rate, fully maturing in just days to weeks.
Biodegradability: Products made from mycelium naturally decompose at the end of their life cycle, leaving no toxic waste.
Strength and Versatility: Despite its delicate appearance, mycelium forms strong, lightweight structures when cultivated properly.
Minimal Resource Requirements: Growing mycelium requires little water and energy, relying mainly on agricultural waste as a substrate.
MushLume Lighting studio in Gowanus, Brooklyn
Why Hemp Complements Mycelium:
Hemp, a fast-growing plant that matures in 60–90 days, serves as the perfect companion to mycelium. It's a sustainable crop that requires less land and water compared to other natural fibers. Hemp also sequesters carbon dioxide, helping to mitigate climate change.
By combining mycelium with hemp—a byproduct of the hemp industry—we create a material that is not only sustainable but also leverages waste from another process. This synergy exemplifies a circular approach to manufacturing, where one industry’s waste can become another industry’s feedstock.
A close up of the mycelium and hemp substrate during the biofabrication process.
Filling the Void: MushLume Lighting
We believe that sustainability and high design are not mutually exclusive. Our mission is to craft lighting solutions that enhance spaces aesthetically while being gentle on the environment. We strive to challenge the notion that eco-friendly products can't be elegant or luxurious.
Founder Danielle Trofe during the growing process filling the grow form for a future Cup Light Pendant.
Sustainable Manufacturing
Our lampshades are GROWN, not manufactured. We cultivate mycelium and hemp in custom molds, allowing the mycelium to bind with the hemp substrate naturally. This process requires minimal energy—very little additional electrical power is needed during growth—and uses very little water.
Step-by step video of the biofabrication process for our Hemi Pendants.
Once matured, the lampshades are carefully removed, dried and heated to create a stable, inert product. The result is a 100% biodegradable lampshade that, at the end of its life, can return safely to the earth.
Biophillic lighting installation featuring several of our Hemi and Cup Light Pendants for this Portland, OR home.
Health Benefits for Your Space
Our commitment to crafting lighting solutions that are both beautiful and environmentally friendly goes beyond aesthetics—it also brings significant health benefits. By incorporating natural, non-toxic materials into our products, we create lighting that not only enhances spaces visually but also supports healthier indoor environments.
Importance of Indoor Air Quality
MushLume Hemi & Cup Light Pendants in a Newport Beach, CA kitchen.
Indoor air quality is crucial for our health, especially considering we spend most of our time indoors. Traditional lighting fixtures made with synthetic materials can emit VOCs and other harmful chemicals, affecting respiratory health and overall well-being.
Materials that Don’t Off-Gas
Our lampshades are made from natural mycelium and hemp, free from synthetic resins, plastics, and chemical coatings. This means they do not emit harmful VOCs or formaldehyde, contributing to a cleaner, healthier indoor environment.
MushLume Hemi Pendant in East Fork Pottery store in Atlanta.
Biophillic Design
Incorporating our mycelium-based lighting into your space aligns with the principles of biophilic design, which emphasizes the connection between humans and nature. Studies have shown that environments enriched with natural elements can lead to:
Reduced Stress Levels: According to "The Practice of Biophilic Design" by Stephen R. Kellert and Elizabeth F. Calabrese, access to natural materials and forms can reduce stress, contribute to physical health and improve comfort.
Enhanced Productivity and Well-being: The Human Spaces Report (2015) found a 6% increase in reported productivity levels and a 15% improvement in perceptions of well-being among employees in spaces with natural elements.
Improved Cognitive Function: Biophillic Design has shown it can improve cognitive function and creativity, improve our well-being and expedite healing.
By choosing our plant & fungi-based lighting products, you're not only beautifying your space but also promoting a healthier, more productive environment.
MushLume Hemi Pendant and Cup Light Sconce in LaLou in Brooklyn, NY.
In Context: Elevating Aesthetics Without Compromise
Our designs merge the organic textures and forms of mycelium with modern aesthetic standards, bringing a touch of nature’s elegance into diverse spaces—from serene homes to sophisticated hotels. Each fixture is carefully crafted to create harmony within its environment, enhancing both residential and commercial settings in unique ways.
Three MushLume Hemi Pendants in this minimalistic dining room in Ontario, Canada. Interior by ACM Designs.
In a tranquil home in Ontario Canada, our pendant lamps add warmth and texture to the minimalist interiors. The natural hues of the mycelium lampshades complement a neutral palette, resulting in a cozy yet refined atmosphere that feels connected to its peaceful surroundings.
Series of MushLume Hemi Pendants and Cup Light Pendants in this St. Simons Island, Georgia home.
Interior by Valarie Britz Interiors, photo by Galina Coada.
Further south, in a coastal residence on St. Simons Island, Georgia, our pendant lamps serve as focal points in a hallway, echoing the artwork on the walls and transforming light into elemental, natural art.
1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, Riverhouse Suite living space. Photo by SH Hotels & Resorts.
Our work with commercial spaces showcases the versatility of MushLume Lighting’s eco-conscious design. At 1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, known for its commitment to sustainability, our fixtures elevate the eco-luxury aesthetic, providing guests with a lighting experience that is as thoughtful as it is visually stunning.
The lobby of the Westley Hotel featuring our MushLume Pendant Lighting in various sizes.
Designed by FRANK Architecture
In Calgary’s boutique Westley Hotel, our lighting installations helped cultivate a vintage vibe with a contemporary twist, turning each mycelium lampshade into a conversation piece that reflects the hotel's dedication to innovative, sustainable design.
Creating A Positive Impact Together
The future of design lies in solutions that honor both aesthetics and the environment. MushLume Lighting embodies this philosophy by offering lighting options that are beautiful, innovative, and deeply sustainable. By choosing products that prioritize the health of our planet and its inhabitants, you contribute to a positive impact that extends beyond your immediate space.
Resources for Further Learning
If you're interested in exploring sustainable design further, here are some resources we recommend:
"14 Patterns of Biophilic Design" by Terrapin Bright Green
A practical guide on implementing biophilic design principles to improve health and well-being.
Downloadable at: terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/14-patterns/
Dezeen – Sustainable Design Section
Stay updated on innovative sustainable design projects worldwide.
ArchDaily – Sustainability Section
Access case studies and insights into sustainable architectural practices.
Explore: archdaily.com/tag/sustainability
Have a specific project in mind?
If you're an interior designer or architect, we offer tailored options to perfectly complement your space. Let’s collaborate to bring your vision to life with sustainable, handcrafted lighting solutions.
