The spotlight on Ecovative Design is growing faster than the mushrooms they turn into packing material. Bayer's biodegradable packing materials are tough, cheap and renewable, putting Ecovative on a collision course with Styrofoam, the unrivaled king of the packing materials.
Two young entrepreneurs figured out how to bind fungus mycelium together as alternative to plastic foams. Mycelium is the root of the mushroom threaded beneath the soil. They used a heating process to mold shapes of desired package in order to protect it during shipping. It takes 5 days to give the roots time to finish threading and act as glue. The piece is then heat treated to make sure mushrooms can’t sprout, and because the root is cloned, it can’t trigger allergies. Polystyrene protects most shipping products but contains toxic chemicals. Environmentally conscious consumers can easily adopt Ecovative's products because their break down period is six to nine months. What started off as a school project is now attracting clients such as Sealed Air Corp., the packaging giant known for Bubble Cushioning.
Two young entrepreneurs figured out how to bind fungus mycelium together as alternative to plastic foams. Mycelium is the root of the mushroom threaded beneath the soil. They used a heating process to mold shapes of desired package in order to protect it during shipping. It takes 5 days to give the roots time to finish threading and act as glue. The piece is then heat treated to make sure mushrooms can’t sprout, and because the root is cloned, it can’t trigger allergies. Polystyrene protects most shipping products but contains toxic chemicals. Environmentally conscious consumers can easily adopt Ecovative's products because their break down period is six to nine months. What started off as a school project is now attracting clients such as Sealed Air Corp., the packaging giant known for Bubble Cushioning.
Read more by visiting the Article by PBS.
Valley Box offers biodegradable loose fill, that dissolve when in contact with water. Valley Box Company is also proud to present 100% post consumer waste cardboard boxes. Visit our "Green Business" page to learn more.
