This is just so cool! I see it's been around for awhile, but this is the first time I've seen it.
Ecovative Design uses mushroom fibers grown on waste like cotton seed, wood fiber and buckwheat hulls to create EcoCradle packaging and Greensulate insulation. Their current process uses only one-tenth of the energy needed to create foam packaging. That in itself is quite cool, but thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, they are working on a slightly different process that will cut their energy needs down to one-fortieth of that of foam. That's 2.5 percent!
The current process uses steam heat and requires a clean room environment. The new process would use a mixture of cinnamon bark, thyme, oregano and lemongrass oils and could be done in an open air environment.
I love hearing about stuff like this and I can't wait until it reaches a point where we consumers can go out and purchase these types of packing materials for everyday use. In the meantime, if you run a business that ships items that require padding, contact EcovativeDesign and see what they can do for you!
Interesting approach to packaging. We’re industrial automation specialists here in Dublin, Ireland and provide bubble wrap to businesses amongst other kinds of packaging. Always on the lookout for new ideas but this one has be one of the most unexpected. A 40x decrease in the energy used to create the packaging is remarkable. I’d be interested if we can turn this to an industrial use. Please visit us at http://www.stephenmillerltd.com and drop us a line if you have any more info.