From mushroom leather to algae-based garments, Elizabeth Wissinger, a professor of Liberal Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center and of social sciences at Borough of Manhattan Community College, explores whether bio-based materials can offer a real alternative to synthetic fabrics, fast fashion, and clothing waste.

On this episode of The Thought Project, she discusses the rise of bio-couture, the environmental problems driving interest in biodegradable textiles, and the ethical questions raised by using living organisms in design. She also examines the challenges these materials still face, including durability, scalability, and the possibility that, if they are made for short-term use and quickly discarded, they could reproduce the same wear-once, throwaway logic that defines fast fashion.