An example of the Mushroom Packaging created by Ecovative. Furniture and housewares retailer Ikea is considering switching to this fungus-based product as an eco-friendly alternative to polystyrene.

Furniture and houseware chain Ikea is contemplating whether to use packaging made out of mushrooms as an environmentally-friendly alternative to the polystyrene it currently uses.

Ikea’s head of sustainability Joanna Yarrow told The Telegraph that the company is considering using biodegradable mycelium fungi packaging as part of its efforts to lessen waste and increase recycling.

The product was developed by Ecovative, a material science company that is developing a new kind of compostable bioplastics made out of fungus mycelium, the vegetative part of the fungus.

Called Mushroom Packaging, it is created by combining mycelium and agricultural waste and allowing the mixture to grow for a few days. The mycelium then begins to treat the waste as food and attempts to digest it, creating a matrix of fibers. These fibers are broken up into loose particles and put into a tool where the mycelium grows through and around the particles, creating a structure. It grows until it is solid and is then dried to stop growth and prevent mushroom spores.

Mycelium is created from the mass of interwoven filaments that forms on the vegetative part of the fungus, which are its roots.

(Ecovative )

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According to Yarrow, Ikea has been looking at using mycelium packaging because a lot of products that tend to come in polystyrene can’t be recycled with ease, if they can be recycled at all. Polystyrene takes thousands of years to decompose, while mycelium packaging can biodegrade within weeks.

“We always look for new and innovative processes and sustainable materials that can contribute to our commitment,” an Ikea spokesman told The Telegraph. “Mycelium is one of the materials IKEA is looking into, but it is currently not used in production."

“Ikea wants to have a positive impact on people and the planet, which includes taking a lead in turning waste into resources, developing reverse material flows for waste materials and ensuring key parts of our range are easily recycled,” the spokesman added. “Ikea has committed to take a lead in reducing its use of fossil-based materials while increasing its use of renewable and recycled materials.”

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