*2.3. Inoculation*

Using existing research as a baseline (see Appendix A) and discussions with mushroom farmer John Burmeister from Valley City Fungi, Ohio, USA, the team decided on a recipe consisting of 10 wt% *Pleurotus ostreatus* or *Coprinus comatus* grain spawn, 22.5 wt% dry substrate (chipped and sieved straw), and 67.5 wt% water for both batches. The first batch was inoculated in redhouse studio's warehouse in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, where all materials were grown. For the second batch, the inoculation of both mixtures was performed immediately after pasteurization in the same container at Valley City Fungi, OH, USA. The inoculation process of both batches and a summary of the quantity of specimens grown are detailed in Appendix E.

## *2.4. Mycelium Growth*

To allow for comparison between fungal species, the growth environments and growth time were kept the same for both batches. The mycelium-based materials were grown for 6.5 weeks (i.e., 46 days) in a dark opaque tent. The temperature and relative humidity inside the tent were 25.7 ± 0.2 ◦C and 50.5 ± 5.6%, respectively, during the growth period. However, each specimen was grown inside a closed mold and then placed inside the large tent. The relative humidity inside each closed mold was based on the water concentration of the mycelium mixture and was considered to have remained constant throughout the growth period, as each mold was sealed with non-woven housewrap. Batches were grown at a different time of the year: from 21 March to 6 May 2020 (first batch) and from 29 June to 14 August 2020 (second batch). Mycelial growth and presence of contaminants were

visually assessed throughout the growth period through the clear plastic for both batches. After 6.5 weeks of growth, all the non-woven housewrap material covering the top of the molds was removed to start the drying process of the specimens. Additional details on the growth data collected and removal of contaminated parts are explained in Appendix F.
