# Scientists create self-healing fungal dress that biodegrades in 41 days 2026-08-07T12:05:37+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Chinese researchers have built a living dress from Cordyceps militaris fungus that repairs its own tears and degrades completely in soil within 41 days. Unlike most fungal textiles, which kill the organism during processing, this material keeps its cells alive, allowing it to mend cuts with fresh fungal pellets and grow new surface layers on demand using nutrient solutions. The fabric can also be coloured using engineered yeast and made self-cleaning with a melanin coating. The team demonstrated a full prototype with a self-pigmented body, patterned collar, and self-cleaning hem, according to a study published in Science Advances. The fabric retained about 68 per cent of its original stiffness after ten repair cycles. A life cycle assessment showed most environmental impact came from production inputs, not the material itself. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: biodegradable material, China research, Cordyceps militaris, fungal textile, living materials, self-healing fabric Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/scientists-create-self-healing-fungal-dress-that-biodegrades-in-41-days/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/scientists-create-self-healing-fungal-dress-that-biodegrades-in-41-days/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.