What materials might mushroom packaging replace, from a creative notion to an efficient, useful packaging? Why can mushroom packaging be the packaging industry's future? Let's find out in the following article.
General Information of Mushroom Packaging
What is Mushroom Packaging?
Mushroom packaging, also known as fungi packaging, or mycelium packaging. It is a type of packaging made from mushrooms and organic plant waste. This particular type of packaging is made from organic plant debris and mushrooms. This is a new eco-packaging that can replace packaging made of polyester.
See more about the other types of eco-packaging
How is mushroom packaging made?
Raw materials made mushroom packaging includes:
- Agricultural waste: whatever is left over from farming, including wood chips, sawdust, maize stalks, and coffee grounds.
- Mycelium: A fungus's vegetative component. It is an underground network of minuscule strands growing together.
The packaging made of mushrooms is grown in specific 3D molds to take on the desired shape. Mycelium from organic plant waste grows through and around waste, binding the waste together like glue to produce a solid shape without the need for light, water, or chemicals. In five to seven days, the packing increases. It is taken out of the mold and heat treated to dry out, destroy spores, and stop the growing process after it has taken on the appropriate shape.
Features of mushroom packaging
Here are some features you should know about mushroom packaging:
- The texture of this type of packing is fibrous.
- Sturdy and lightweight: Compared to cardboard and paper, mushroom packaging is more robust.
- Water resistance and Fire resistance:: Thanks to material called chitin, which is a substance present in the exoskeletons of insects, makes mushroom packaging water-resistant. and fire resistance.
- Insulation: Because the material has air pockets, mushroom packing offers good insulating qualities.
- Scalable: Mushroom packaging can be molded into many shapes and sizes, and its qualities can be improved by coating it with a number of materials.
These characteristics make mushroom packaging unique and extremely useful, enabling it to be used as packaging for a wide range of goods.
What is Mushroom packaging used for?
A diverse range of products can be packaged using mushroom packaging, including:
- Cosmetics: A range of cosmetic items, including foundation, mascara, and lipstick, can be packaged in mushroom-shaped containers. The lightweight and sturdy nature of mushroom packaging makes it an excellent option for cosmetic packaging.
- Electronics: Laptops, tablets, and smartphones are just a few of the electrical items that can be packaged with mushroom packing. Since mushroom packing is strong, lightweight, and has exceptional insulating qualities, it is a good option for electronic packaging.
- Pharmaceuticals: A range of pharmaceutical goods, including tablets, capsules, and liquids, can be packaged using mushroom packing. Because it is sterile and can shield pharmaceuticals from contamination, mushroom packing is a good option for packaging.
- Food: A wide range of food products, such as baked goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, and seafood, can be packaged using mushroom packing. Because it is permeable and keeps food fresh, mushroom packing is a great option for food packaging.
Actually, a lot of cosmetics goods are also packaged in mushrooms. Also, Dell and IKEA are two prominent corporations who use mushroom packaging to keep their products.
Advantages of Mushroom Packaging
Advanatages to Environment
As a plant-based packaging, mushroom packaging have outstanding benefits for environment, including:
- Biodegradable: Mycelium, a fungus's vegetative portion, and agricultural waste are used to make mushroom packaging. These two materials can decompose naturally without endangering the environment because they are renewable and biodegradable.
- Compostable: Within 30 to 90 days, this packaging will naturally break down. All you have to do is crush the packing into little fragments and either scatter them throughout your yard or throw them in the compost.
- Sustainable: Mushroom packaging is sustainable since it decomposes naturally. It produces no waste that is dangerous and is made of renewable resources. This helps reduce waste and pollution to environment.
- Low Energy Consumption: Packaging can be made with a minimum amount of energy through using the natural growth potential of mushrooms.
- Recyclable: The packaging for mushrooms is recyclable. When stored in dry conditions, mushroom packaging can endure for several years. This is useful in many situations and helps in the reduction of waste in mushroom packaging.
Advantages to Business
Beside of environment benefits, here are some advantages mushroom packaging bring to business:
- Good Brand Image: Customers who are dedicated to sustainability are becoming more and more interested in purchasing goods from businesses that share this commitment. Companies can show their clients how committed they are to sustainability by using mushroom-shaped packaging. Increased client loyalty and a better reputation for the brand may result from this.
- Customizability: Packaging made of mushrooms can be printed with unique graphics and molded into a variety of sizes and forms. Because of this, it's a flexible packaging material that may be used to construct unique and memorable product packaging.
What are limitations of mushroom packaging
Have numerous advantages, but mushroom packaging have its own limitations.
- Cost: Compared to more conventional packaging materials like cardboard and plastic, mushroom packaging is currently more costly. This is because the production process is still not entirely optimized and mushroom packing is a relatively new technique.
- Availability: It's not yet common to find mushroom packing. In the world, there are a few businesses that make packaging for mushrooms. Among the top businesses in the mushroom packaging industry are Ecovative, Mushroom Materials, and Mushroom Packaging.
- Resistance to moisture: The packaging for mushrooms resists water, but it is not totally waterproof. This indicates that it is not appropriate for packaging goods that need to be completely dry.
In brief, despite its many advantages, mushroom packing has its own difficulties that prevent it from being widely used. But there are also a ton of additional eco-friendly packaging options that could work well for your company, such sugarcane, bamboo fiber, …
