Packaging Being Grown!

Just when you think you have seen it all, you may have to guess again. A company named Ecovative has just come out with a packaging material made from mushrooms...yes, mushrooms.

Source: http://www.ecovativedesign.com

According to their website, they don’t manufacture these materials, we grow them. Indeed, Ecovative claims to "grow the plastic from agricultural byproducts and mycelium- a fungal network of threadlike cells. It’s like the “roots” of mushrooms. In 5 – 7 days, in the dark, with no watering, and no petrochemical inputs, the mycelium digests the agricultural byproducts, binding them into a beautiful structural material. The mycelium acts like a natural, self assembling glue." This seems like an interesting concept, but I am not sure how sustainable it is (i.e. how many mushrooms are required for one packaging material?). What I do like though is that little energy is required for the system's (i.e. produced in the dark). However, more information is necessary (i.e. life cycle analysis) for a sound opinion on the material. For instance, often mushrooms are grown in faecal matter and have to be cleaned prior to shipping/use, and I am sure the mycelium extraction process is no different

Mycelium inside Biocomposite (i.e. plastic foaming agent)
Source: http://www.ecovativedesign.com/about-our-materials/core-tech/

So how do they differ from traditional bio-plastics? Well, "he mycelium is able to grow on agricultural byproducts like plant stalks and seed husks. Ecovative says that they can use a broad range of feedstocks as well to create diverse material properties, and tune the specifications for the application... "We can tweak the density, strength, texture, appearance and more to deliver exactly the performance you need to protect your product."  ...I must say that the "tweak" seems more qualitative and solid quantitative scientific studies.

All in all, I say "good for Ecoverte for thinking outside the box and trying to develop more sustainable packaging materials."