Upcycled Bio-Plastique: Visible Mending With 3D Printed PLA and Mycelium Design

This project demonstrates how to rescue stained or damaged clothing, specifically this white lab coat—from ending up in a landfill by using a 3D printer to create a custom, flexible, bio-plastic patch fused directly into the textile fibers. Instead of throwing away a perfectly durable, functional coat just because of a single stubborn stain, we can use technology to give it a second life as a piece of wearable art.

By utilizing PLA (Polylactic Acid), a fully biodegradable polymer derived from fermented plant starch like cornstarch, this method introduces a zero-waste, eco-friendly alternative to traditional vinyl patches or synthetic fast-fashion fixes. It ensures that no plastic waste is created during the repair process.

The design chosen for this repair is the Mycelium Network. In nature, mycelium acts as the ultimate environmental recycler, forming vast underground networks that break down organic matter to regenerate and sustain the earth. By printing a mycelium root system to save this coat, the design beautifully mirrors the core philosophy of the competition: dreaming of a sustainable, interconnected, and waste-free future where we regenerate what we already have.

A Stained or Damaged Garment

3D Printer & Slicing Software

PLA Filament (Choose a contrasting color)

Household Clothing Iron

Parchment Paper / Baking Paper

Find Your Image on Google: Open Google Images and search for an eco-themed graphic that fits your narrative. For this project, search for a "mycelium mushroom black line icon" or silhouette. Once you find the design, right-click and save the image to your computer.

Remove the Background: To make sure the printer only prints the mushroom lines and not a giant solid square background, go to the background remover website: background_remover. Upload your saved image, let the tool strip away the white background completely, and download the processed image.

Save as an SVG: Convert your clean, transparent image into an SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) file. You can use a free online converter tool to do this in seconds. Saving it as an SVG turns the lines of the mushroom into vector paths, which allows your slicing software to interpret it as a crisp, perfect 3D model.

Import Into Your Slicer: Open your 3D slicing software. Locate your saved SVG file on your computer, then simply drag and drop it directly onto the virtual print bed.

You can download the ready-to-use mycelium-mending-patch.svg file attached below and simply drag and drop it directly into your 3D slicing software to get started.

Adjusting Slicer Settings & Adding the Stain Modifier:

1. Select the Scale Tool and unlock the uniform scaling padlock icon. Leave the width (X and Y axes) large enough to cover your garment's stain, but crush the Z-axis (height) down to exactly 0.3mm (roughly 2 to 3 layers total at a 0.12mm layer height). This keeps the final patch thin and flexible.
2. The Modifier Hack: Because this specific mushroom design is a line-art style with hollow spaces, a dark stain could potentially peek through the empty gaps in the stalk. To prevent this, right-click the mushroom model on your build plate, select Add Modifier, and choose a basic shape like a Cylinder or Box.
3. Scale and position this modifier shape so it sits perfectly inside the hollow center of the mushroom's stalk.
4. This tells the slicer to completely fill in the gaps locally, creating a solid, impervious bio-plastic shield right over the stained zone while keeping the beautiful, sprawling mycelium roots thin and open.

Slice the file using your standard PLA settings and export the G-code to your printer!

You can simply download the pre-sliced G-code file attached below and send it directly to your 3D printer!

With your design sliced and the stain-hiding modifier block in place, it is time to bring the patch to life and line it up on your garment.

1. Print the Patch: Run the print on your 3D printer. Because the patch is only 0.3mm, it will take less than 1 minute to finish. Once it is done, carefully peel the patch off the build plate. It should feel smooth, lightweight, and bend easily without breaking.
2. Prep the Garment: Lay your garment flat on an ironing board or a heat-safe surface. Smooth out any wrinkles around the damaged area.
3. Position the Design: Take your printed mycelium patch and place it directly over the stain. Position the solid stalk (the area filled in by your slicer modifier) squarely over the deepest part of the stain to ensure full coverage.

Raw PLA will instantly melt and weld itself to the metal plate of your clothing iron if it touches it directly. Creating a thermal barrier is absolutely critical.

1. Cut the Shield: Cut a square of standard kitchen parchment paper (baking paper) that is slightly larger than your 3D print.
2. Lay it Flat: Gently lower the parchment paper directly over your positioned patch. Take care not to shift or bump the mushroom design out of place while doing this.

⚠️ Important Note: Do not use wax paper or aluminum foil. Wax paper will melt and ruin your fabric, and aluminum foil conducts heat too aggressively. Stick strictly to standard parchment baking paper.

The heat from the iron will momentarily soften the biodegradable PLA, allowing the pressure to drive the plastic directly into the weave of the fabric threads.

1. Prep the Iron: Turn your household iron on to a medium-high setting. Make sure the steam setting is turned completely off—this process requires 100% dry heat.
2. Apply Heat and Pressure: Place the flat base of the iron straight down on top of the parchment paper covering your design.
3. The 10-Second Rule: Apply firm, even downward pressure and move the iron in tiny, slow circles for 10 to 15 seconds. Be sure to press down on the fine, sprawling mycelium root lines so every single detail fuses into the fabric.
4. Let it Cool Completely: Remove the iron and leave the garment entirely untouched for 2 to 3 minutes. If you try to peel the paper while the plastic is still hot, you will smear the design and pull it off the shirt.
5. The Final Reveal: Once the patch is totally cold to the touch, hold the fabric down with one hand and slowly peel the parchment paper back at a sharp angle. The paper will release cleanly, leaving your smooth, vibrant, perfectly fused patch embedded into your garment!

Because your new patch is made from eco-friendly, biodegradable PLA plastic rather than industrial synthetic vinyl, you need to treat it with a little extra care to ensure it lasts for years. Follow these washing and wearing rules:

1. Wash on Cold: Always wash the garment in cold or lukewarm water (maximum 30°C). High-temperature washing machine cycles will soften the PLA and cause the patch to warp or peel away.
2. Gentle Cycle Only: Turn the garment inside out before washing to protect the thin mycelium root lines from rubbing against zippers or heavy buttons on other clothes. Use a low-spin or delicate cycle.
3. Air Dry Only: Never put the garment in a clothes dryer. The intense ambient heat of a dryer will ruin the print. Hang it up or lay it flat to air dry naturally.
4. Future Ironing: If the garment gets wrinkled later on, never iron directly over the patch. Always cover the design with parchment paper again, or turn the garment inside out and iron it from the backside on a low heat setting.