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photo: Tanya Plotnikova/Shutterstock.com
photo: Tanya Plotnikova/Shutterstock.com

It’s highly functional, visibly stunning and eco-friendly: packaging made out of mycelium is a great way to show how effective sustainable packaging can be. With the amount of CO2 that is saved during the growing process, it plays a huge role in saving the climate too.

Here’s the deal: Climate Change is happening and it’s really important to talk about it. The world is heating up, and a lot of it comes down to CO2 emissions. So, how do we fight back? One big step is by choosing bio-based products. These products are made from renewable sources, like plants instead of oil or other non-renewable resources. By using materials that can be regrown or recycled, we can reduce the amount of CO2 we release into the atmosphere. Packaging made out of mycelium/root structure of fungi is a fantastic example of a bio-based product that’s helping to make a difference.

How can we help our Planet 
with Packaging? 

Every item we buy, every product we use, often comes with packaging. This packaging, while necessary, has a significant impact on our environment. Just think about how long it takes before the earth has created 1 litre of oil, and how long we actually use a plastic packaging for. But what if we could turn packaging into a tool for positive change? 

At Grown Bio, we’re doing just that with our mycelium-based solutions.

These packaging products only need 2 ingredients: local agricultural waste, mostly hemp. And mycelium, which are the roots of mushrooms. 

Why hemp? Because hemp captures the most CO2 per square acre of almost all crops while growing. So, when we make mycelium products, the hemp has already done some work by taking a lot of CO2. Over the years, this process has enabled us to save tonnes of CO2.

  • Embrace Mycelium Packaging:
    Most packaging, even if recyclable, takes years to decompose. Mycelium packaging is different; it’s fully compostable. Once its purpose is served, it naturally breaks down, becoming one with the earth rather than polluting it.
  • Rethink Sustainable Alternatives:
    While materials like carton might seem eco-friendly and are of course better than Styrofoam, they often lead to deforestation. Mycelium offers a solution that doesn’t harm our forests.
  • Harness CO2 Capturing Abilities:
    Our packaging isn’t just neutral; it’s actively beneficial. Each packaging has captured CO2.
  • Safety for All:
    Traditional packaging can release harmful chemicals. Mycelium packaging stands apart, offering a toxic-free choice that protects both the product inside and the world outside.
  • Spread the Word:
    Knowledge is power. The more businesses and consumers understand mycelium’s advantages, the bigger the shift we’ll see towards truly sustainable packaging.

Mycelium vs. Styrofoam:

Styrofoam carries a heavy environmental burden. It takes ages to decompose, is toxic for the environment and humas, and is made from non-renewable fossil oil. Every piece we use today will stay on our planet, leaking harmful chemicals for centuries.

We compared packaging made out of mycelium/root structure of fungi to Styrofoam and found that for every litre of packaging made out of mycelium/root structure of fungi, we save around 600 grams of CO2. Over just two years, these savings have added up to many tonnes!1

While Styrofoam might be familiar in the packaging world, our mycelium alternative turns up as the silent eco-warrior, offering hope for a greener future.

But it’s not just about the environment. The financial aspect of using plastics like Styrofoam might change soon. With potential new or increased taxes on plastics and rising demand, the cost of plastic foams could rise. The current pricing also doesn’t reflect the detrimental health and environmental consequences they bring.

Why We Love Mycelium:

Our dream is to give people a choice that is better for our Earth and people’s health. Styrofoam comes from sources that we can never replace anymore. Once we use them, they’re gone forever. But mycelium products are different. It can be grown again and again. 

Think Local, Act Green:

Growing the products close to where the customers are, means we don’t need to send them long distances, which again means less CO2 in the air. The plan is to have lots of small factories instead of a few big ones. By staying local, we can use what each area has plenty of, like hemp in the Netherlands, and for example winery waste in France, cattail waste in Germany, or cork waste in Portugal.

References:

  1. How mycelium helps to reduce CO2 emissions: https://www.grown.bio/mycelium-captures-co2 

photo: author
photo: author

Christina Thurner 

Sales&Marketing, Grown bio, 
Heerewaarden, Netherlands, 

www.grown.bio 

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