Mycelium Grown Building Materials
Ecovative is a startup that has begun to use mycelium, the structured roots from which mushrooms grow, as an environmentally friendly alternative to particle board. Their new method of manufacturing wood uses the mycelium as a natural binding agent instead of the toxic glue used in making particle board. This material is currently being manufactured and sold in several household products. Previously, Ecovative designed natural packaging also grown from mycelium to replace polystyrene foam. This packaging product is now used by IKEA and Dell.