Sustainability

Natural, Renewable, Biodegradable

By using mycelium and agricultural by-products, we utilize materials that are environmentally low-impact, 100 percent biodegradable and renewable, and are part of a healthy ecosystem. Unlike other bio-plastics, our technology isn’t based on turning food or fuel crops into materials; we’re only using inedible crop waste to create our products. From the materials we choose to the way it is produced, we ensure Mushroom® Packaging is part of a better and brighter future.

Production With Less Energy

We have revolutionized how packaging materials are made. The way we produce Mushroom® Packaging uses significantly less energy than the manufacturing of synthetic foams. This is because we harness mycelium’s ability to self assemble lignin and cellulose into strong bio-composites, thus we can actually grow our material without a lot of heat, pressure, or energy. We’ve used Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools while designing our manufacturing system, to optimize every step. A peer reviewed LCA will be available on this site soon.

Environmentally-Friendly Disposal

From beginning to end, our packaging fits into nature’s recycling system. Composting, gardening, or throwing away the product are all environmentally sound options of disposal because it is made of natural materials that belong in a healthy ecosystem. Even when plastic packaging is recycled (and it seldom is), the polymers degrade and are “down-cycled” into lower grade materials. Many bio-plastics have come under criticism because they only break down under extreme temperature conditions found in industrial composting facilities. There is limited industrial composting capacity, and many of these facilities do not accept bio-plastics. Mushroom® Packaging is always home compostable, meaning it will break down safely right in your own back yard!

Help Us Save the Planet

Ecovative has won the highest sustainability and packaging awards for it’s ground breaking environmental innovations. We’re replacing materials like Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) that are suspected to be carcinogens with an environmentally responsible alternative. Most consumers don’t like seeing plastic foam packaging, and they especially don’t like seeing it polluting our land and oceans. Please consider how you and your organization can work with us to make our planet greener.