I am a final year product design engineering student with a passion for sustainable design and waste recovery solutions. My years at Swinburne have given me the knowledge and skills to tackle a huge variety of problems. This has shown me that I can put my talents to good use and hopefully make a real difference in changing the effect products have on our environment.My passion for the use of fungi in design has led to a reputation as the “mushroom guy” amongst my friends and colleagues. Fungi are fascinating organisms that can perform a truly staggering number of functions for us as designers. Exploring fungi’s use in design and recycling ignites a passion in my mind like nothing else and I cannot wait to investigate more into what they can do.So, it will come as no surprise to anyone that my final year project centered around the use of fungi. It is called the MycoFibre Shelter and focuses on the areas of textile waste recycling and wildlife conservation. The MycoFibre Shelter represents a new way to upcycle textile waste into a high value material, and its properties make for a perfect candidate in protecting native animals from predators in the aftermath of a fire. The project has been and incredible experience, with a collaboration with CSIRO being the highlight. I am looking forward to developing it further and seeing what other applications the material might have.