Growing Packaging and Insulation

EcoCradle is a new type of packaging and insulation grown from fungus and garbage. The material is grown from a mix of waste organic material and fungi spores. The mix is placed in a mould of the shape of the required packaging or insulation and placed in a cool dark place. The fungus grows, consuming the organic material and filling the mould with a lightweight fibrous material. The material is made of fungus and so is biodegradable (but has to be protected from moisture).

This technique has potential as other fungi have the consistency of wood and could be used where a harder material is required. Also in manufacturing terms it would seem to make more sense to create this material in a two step process: first grow the fungus, then form the material later into the shape required, using pressure and perhaps water. This would be similar to the way packaging is formed from waste paper and the way medium density fibreboard is made from wood fibres.