Mushroom Materials

Ecovative is a manufacturer of natural packaging materials made from using mycelium, which is the root structure of mushrooms, and an agricultural bi-product such as corn stalk. Combining these together creates a matrix, which when placed into the mould and left for a few days in a dark will grow self assembling into a solid mass. The growth process is ceased by removing the material from the mould and placing into a heat container, which now makes the mushroom material ready to use. The mushroom material is also 100% compostable and so once the packaging has been used it can be broken down and thrown onto any earth, returning to where it once came replacing all the natural qualities back into the earth.
Ecovative is also able to fine tune the mushroom material to allow the product to be; water absorbent, impact absorbent, flame retardant, vapour retardant, variable density, dielectric, buoyant and much more. Ecovative says that they are cost competitive and that mushroom packaging provides the same standard of protective performance as conventional plastic packaging.