Unique helmet design made from mycelium

According to Dezeen, all helmets that are eligible for circulation in the Netherlands are currently made from non-biodegradable materials and are not cheap. However, a studio called MOM has come up with a prototype of a 100% eco-friendly helmet that is still safe.

Not made from expensive carbon fiber or environmentally unfriendly EPS, MyHelmet – this "rice cooker" is made from mycelium.

MyHelmet is a completely eco-friendly helmet. (Photo: dezeen).

Specifically, the main protective shell of MyHelmet is made up of a fiber extracted from the fleshy root part of the mushroom. The hat's thin outer shell and strap are made from hemp. Thanks to all-natural materials, the production process of MyHelmet does not produce CO2 into the environment, the hat itself can decompose after it is no longer used.

The hat's creator, Alessandra Sisti, says the idea of ​​an eco-friendly hat was her graduation project, and studio MOM helped her find the best material after a lot of experimentation.

Alessandra Sisti is the author of the mycelium helmet.

'MyHelmet replaces conventional EPS plastic with mycelium grown in a special environment. During the growing process, I would continuously heat the mycelium, which caused the mycelial structure to be similar to that of EPS resin: light, low thermal conductivity and strong. In addition, the natural structure of the mycelium also helps air circulate better, helping the wearer feel cooler than a normal helmet' - Sisti shared.

In addition to the main material is mycelium, MyHelmet is also composed of many other natural materials to create an adhesion between the mycelium and the hemp fiber. This prevents the helmet from having to use any glue.

The main frame of the MyHelmet is made of mycelium, and the strap and case are made of hemp.

In terms of safety, the MOM studio simulated the NTA (Netherlands helmet safety standard) quality test to test MyHelmet. The results have been very positive, but more formal tests are still needed before the hat can be put into mass production.

According to traffic experts in the Netherlands, users should replace their helmets every 3-5 years, because the durability of the helmet can be reduced due to wear and tear during use. This amount of used helmets produces a large amount of plastic, which costs the government a lot of money to recycle, but helmets made from mycelium could be the solution to this problem.