We won it: the prestigious Sportinnovator Challenge ‘Circular Sports Materials’! During the Annual Event of the Acceleration Program for Sustainable and Circular Sports Events in Maaspoort, Den Bosch, our designer Alessandra Sisti proudly accepted the award.

Our submission, MyHelmet, is a modularly designed bicycle helmet made from mycelium, the root network of a fungus. This biodegradable alternative replaces polystyrene and makes the helmet easily recyclable after use. In this way, we help reduce the waste stream of difficult-to-recycle glued foam and plastic.

The first model of MyHelmet has been successfully tested for shock absorption at TASS International, an accredited and independent testing lab in Helmond, the Netherlands. The usage results are positive, but the gap between current production processes and those required for our mycelium helmet is still considerable. While this presents a challenge, we are determined to overcome it.

With the development budget from Sportinnovator, we will focus on scaling up the production process. We will be working with the necessary partners to tackle the challenges associated with bio-production and are collaborating toward the production of a small series of helmet linings. This brings us one step closer to a fully circular, producible product that contributes to a more sustainable sports world.

We are extremely proud of this recognition and look forward to the next steps toward a greener future!