OK what is it? If you said it is a protective corner used in shipping to limit potential damage to the contents of the container you are correct. Earlier I spoke of new technologies being applied to existing products to enhance them or develop something completely new and different that can serve a pu
rpose or resolve a problem.
For me this is one of those products or technologies I mentioned earlier because it is completely sustainable, 100% biodegradable, and shortly will be able to be configured to into just about any shape or form to be used in a wide array of products.
Unlike a Styrofoam shipping corner that is petroleum based and lasts for just about ever or a cardboard or wood corner that must be harvested and milled this corner is grown to order.
Grown to order?
Yes this is a very unique product developed by the Ecovative Company located in upstate New York is a 100 percent organic and made in the USA how cool is that.
It all starts with Mycelium which is contained in fungi and is combined with farm waste materials and additive and set aside to grow and it grows rapidly. Take a look here on how it is made. If you have any ideas or markets for the process Ecovative would like to hear from you and you can contact them at projects@ecovativedesign.com
Now can I ask what you think of this product and technology?
When I saw this my head was spinning with all sorts of thoughts and I just love it when someone can come up with something from next to nothing.
Keep your pencil sharp and please leave a comment by clicking the comment icon above and of course share it with a friend.
MJR
Hate to say it, but the first thing that comes to mind is “How much more does it cost?” Yes, I recognize that petroleum-based products are cheaper in part because of the large petroleum subsidy in the US, but for a product to be sustainable, it also has to work into a sustainable economic model…
That doesn’t change the fact that it is very cool.
Yes I believe cost may be a small factor at the moment after looking at some of their sample product price points. I would hope that the problems they may be facing now could be akin to those which occurred early on with the rubber and paper recycling.
It appears to me that the sustainability factor of the process is huge and competitive pricings if it really is an issue now will be resolved in time with process refinement and new product development.
Thanks for stopping by and contributing to the discussion.
Cool. (At first glance I thought it was a chair.)
About material engineering, this specific material is pretty fancy stuff, but it feels like more and more cool things are invented each day, and the processes to create them are getting more efficient (and cheap). I don’t know about this specific process – but I’m pretty optimistic that Styrofoam will be replaced.
Wow now looking at the image yes it does say furniture. I hadn’t it seen through that lens being I stumbled upon the process and product while reading up on growing Portobello mushrooms.
I agree with your optimism that Styrofoam will be replaced and I’m all for doing it with sustainable materials.
Thanks for adding to the discussion.
Yes, it sure looks like it has the potential to replace Styrofoam. Very interesting product.
I too thought it was a chair at first site, but now knowing what it really is, it seems worth it. As long as it’s cost efficient then it seems like it would be a great product all around.
I agree it is a great process and a great product. If cost is a factor I’m betting it is just a matter of time before they iron it all out.
Wow! And produced with FREE labor!!! All those little mycelium’s working and playing together in the church of their choice. If we could only get them to do something about that 2xTexas sized plastic island out in the Pacific, we’d be getting somewhere!!!
Pretty sad fact that will be with us for a long time.