Grown into shape: the shipping packaging of the future.
In the “morning”, huge quantities of food are delivered to doorsteps – triggered by countless online orders. Such supplies become more sustainable thanks to solutions such as Ecovative’s MycoComposite™, which replaces stryopor with cultivated fungus-based material. Today, Ecovative is already working with Ikea on the future of shipping packaging.
MycoComposite™, a mycelium-derived mushroom packaging solution (Mushroom® Packaging), was developed by Ecovative Design in 2007 and is a more cost-effective and biodegradable alternative compared to conventional foams. The complete compostability is particularly innovative. Based on a mixture of the fungus-cell combination mycelium and agricultural by-products oat or buckwheat hulls, Mushroom packaging is grown with no chemicals. After a 5-7 day development phase, heat exposure causes the growth to stop. This creates a package that can be grown into any desired shape even without adding water or sunlight. Mushroom® Packaging thus demonstrates that agricultural waste can be reused and put to good use to produce a sustainable substitute for Styrofoam and plastic.
Best Practice: ECOVATIVE
