Grow from Mycelium: Our new packaging is a bio-contributor

Our new packaging harnesses the potential of agricultural waste and fungi, one of the world’s oldest natural recycling systems.

Grown from mycelium, the root-like system of fungi, it is home-compostable within 45 days, and upon returning to the earth, its carbon remains safely locked away - all the while nourishing the soil with helpful nitrates.

WHY? WE’RE BYPASSING THE BROKEN RECYCLING SYSTEM

45.7% of all UK household waste is classed as recycled (although that number indicates only that it is sent for recycling, not where it ends up.) - The Guardian

On average half of all paper and cardboard, and two-thirds of plastics, are sent to Europe or Asia for recycling. Analysis suggests the UK exported 611,000 tonnes of plastic packaging to other countries in 2018 alone.

This waste is often heavily contaminated making it dirty and polluting work to process. Waste ‘mismanagement’ is rife, meaning rubbish is often left or burned in open landfills.

The sad truth, is that our recycling system is failing us, so where possible, we want to remove the need to rely on it.

HOW? TURNING WASTE INTO POTENTIAL

We partnered with the innovative team at the Magical Mushroom Company to design and grow our new packaging.

On a mission to replace expanded polystyrene, the Magical Mushroom Company have been pioneering mycelium packaging production in the UK since 2019.

Ben, head of prototyping, gave us a tour of their Esher location where the research and development happens and explained to us how our new packaging is made.

Each box is grown by combining fungi spores with agricultural byproducts such as hemp substrate, as well as a healthy sprinkling of plain flour. The mycelium spores are the final ingredient, once the MONC moulds are filled, these spores feed on the substrate. Their hyphae (root system) reach out in search of more food, becoming a little ecosystem.

The boxes spend 4 days growing in a sealed pod, after this they’re popped out of the moulds and left carefully to ‘overgrow’ for another two days, giving them a delightful marshmallow texture.

Finally, the boxes are put into an oven and heated to stop any further growth. This whole process is extremely streamlined, taking only 7 days, making diary management at Magical Mushroom company very simple.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

Once you get your hands on one of our new mycelium boxes, there are a number of things you can do with it. Return it to the earth by breaking it apart and burying it your garden or placing it in your compost bin. Alternatively use it as a planter, storage box or display tray.