The concept of sustainable furniture has evolved far beyond recycled plastic and FSC-certified wood. In 2026, a groundbreaking designer in the UK is taking “organic design” to its literal extreme. Emily Kate, a pioneer in the field of bio-fabrication, has captured the attention of the design world with her collection of Living Furniture. Instead of using saws and nails, she is using the natural growth patterns of fungi. By Growing Chairs from a specific type of Living Mushroom Mycelium, she is creating functional art that is not only carbon-neutral but actually continues to thrive and breathe within the home.
The process of creating Living Furniture is a delicate dance between biology and craftsmanship. Emily Kate begins by creating a lightweight, biodegradable 3D-printed “scaffold” that outlines the desired shape of the chair. She then inoculates this structure with Living Mushroom Mycelium—the root-like network of fungi. Over a period of several weeks, the mycelium consumes the scaffold and weaves a dense, incredibly strong white mat that takes on the form of the chair. This method of Growing Chairs is revolutionary because it requires almost no energy compared to traditional manufacturing. There are no factories, no fumes, and no waste; there is only growth.
What makes Emily Kate’s work truly unique is the “living” aspect. Most mycelium products on the market are heat-treated to kill the fungus once the shape is formed. However, her Living Furniture is kept in a state of suspended animation. Through a specialized nutrient-mist system embedded in the base, the Living Mushroom Mycelium remains alive and responsive to its environment. If the chair gets a small scratch or dent, the mycelium will slowly “heal” itself by growing new fibers over the damaged area. This turns the act of Growing Chairs into a lifelong partnership between the owner and the object, blurring the line between furniture and pet.