Press
MushLume Lighting, founded by designer Danielle Trofe, has been featured in leading international publications including The Wall Street Journal, Wired, CNN, Forbes, and The Guardian for its pioneering work in mycelium lighting and sustainable material innovation. Through a biofabrication process that grows lighting from hemp and mycelium, MushLume sits at the intersection of design, science, and environmental responsibility—redefining how materials are used, produced, and returned to the earth.
ICFF
ICFF features Danielle Trofe, founder of MushLume Lighting, in a discussion on the future of sustainable design and material innovation. The article highlights her perspective on the growing demand for environmentally responsible products alongside the challenges of greenwashing and unclear sustainability standards. It details MushLume’s biofabrication process, in which lampshades are grown using mycelium and locally sourced hemp, forming a solid structure within days with minimal water and energy input. The feature emphasizes a closed-loop lifecycle approach—designing products that are safe for human health, minimize resource extraction, and are fully biodegradable at end of life. It also introduces MushLume’s expansion into acoustic lighting, demonstrating how mycelium-based materials can provide both illumination and sound absorption in interior environments.
NPR
In a January 27, 2023, episode of NPR's The Pulse (WHYY), biodesigner Danielle Trofe discussed her innovative work creating lampshades from mushroom mycelium. Trofe, a leader in biofabrication and founder of MushLume Lighting, explained her process of growing sustainable materials and incorporating biomimicry into design.
CNBC
CNBC’s Nightly Business Report features Danielle Trofe, founder of MushLume Lighting, highlighting her use of mycelium—the root structure of mushrooms—to grow biodegradable lampshades. The segment explains how hemp and mycelium are combined and grown in molds over several days, then heat-treated to create a lightweight, fire-resistant, and stable material. It also covers the commercial adoption of MushLume lighting, including a large-scale installation at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, and Trofe’s collaboration with biomaterials company Ecovative. The feature positions her work within a broader shift toward nature-inspired design and sustainable manufacturing.
New York Magazine
New York Magazine features Danielle Trofe, founder of MushLume Lighting, as one of four inspiring New York entrepreneurs building purpose-driven businesses. The article highlights her journey from relocating to Brooklyn and working multiple jobs to launching an internationally recognized design studio focused on sustainable materials. It spotlights the MushLume Lighting collection—biodegradable fixtures grown from mycelium and agricultural waste—as a defining example of her work at the intersection of design, science, and environmental responsibility.
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal features MushLume Lighting as an emerging leader in sustainable lighting design. The coverage emphasizes the brand’s innovative use of mycelium and hemp to create carbon-conscious lighting solutions, positioning MushLume at the intersection of design, science, and environmental responsibility.
Forbes
Forbes features MushLume Lighting as part of its coverage of innovation in sustainable design and materials. The article highlights the company’s use of mycelium and hemp to create lighting that is grown to shape, positioning MushLume within a new generation of businesses redefining how products are made and their environmental impact.
CNN
Danielle Trofe is a sustainable design expert known for her innovative MushLume lighting collection, which uses mushroom mycelium grown into molds to create biodegradable lampshades. As highlighted in CNN reports, she works with Ecovative Design’s biomatieralsto grow sustainable, agricultural-waste-based furniture and lighting.
Business Insider
Business Insider features MushLume Lighting as part of a broader look at innovative startups using bio-based materials. The article highlights the company’s use of mycelium and hemp to produce biodegradable lighting, positioning MushLume as a forward-thinking brand within the sustainable design and materials space.
The Guardian
The Guardian features MushLume Lighting in its coverage of emerging sustainable materials and design innovation. The article references mycelium as a rapidly growing solution for reducing environmental impact, with MushLume Lighting demonstrating how these materials can be applied in functional, high-design lighting products.