Ecovative Design

The plastic industry exploded in the 1950s when this new, multi-use material was introduced. Over nine billion tons of plastic have been produced since then. More than 91% of waste from that plastic is not recycled. Eight million metric tons of plastic winds up in our oceans each year. If plastic production isn’t curbed, plastic pollution will outweigh fish pound for pound by 2050. The critical need to develop bio-based and earth-friendly materials has never been greater.

The project plan is to unravel the structure-permeation relationship for mycelium networks by systematic building of statistical models and enable accelerated process design for mycelium-based membranes that can act as effective filters. Images are digitized and analyzed using UB-developed techniques to create 3-D digital models, which are then modeled to determine transport and filtration properties using informatics tools such as Principal Component Analysis and other data mining techniques. This allows more rapid product development by identifying suitable filter structures for particular configurations.

Ecovative founders Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre were asked by their college professor to identify a world problem and suggest a solution. They chose fossil fuel scarcity and our reliance on extractant resources that create non-compostable waste. After many experimentations with mushroom-based material development, they founded Ecovative Design. Ecovative is investigating what its versatile biomaterials, grown from mushroom roots and agricultural waste, can do. So far, it has developed materials that can replace plastic packaging, Styrofoam and engineered/composite wood. Ecovative’s Mushroom® Packaging has already displaced petroleum-derived materials in tens of thousands of packages.

Mushroom materials are developed from thread-like roots, known as mycelium, which consume agricultural waste products such as cotton hulls. The process entails cleaning and heating the crop refuse; inoculating it to create growth of the fungal mycelium; then allowing growth for about five days; and finally heating it to make the fungus inert. Trays of mycelia, along with the nutritious substrate, are nurtured in long walk-in tunnels. By controlling temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, airflow, and other factors, it’s possible to control the geometry, density, size and shape of the material.

Ecovative leaders and R&D staff members worked with UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics (CMI) for about two years. CMI assists with the analyzing of mycelium’s binding properties and behaviors. UB’s guidance and high-tech facilities and equipment helped Ecovative gain a better understanding of their raw material characteristics; fine-tune product outputs; speed the product to market and identify new market opportunities.

The Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics (CMI) leverages UB’s cutting edge materials science, big data analytics and advanced manufacturing expertise to drive critical R&D activities that directly impact private sector growth.

CMI’s scientists and engineers take research programs to the next level by working directly with industry partners like Ecovative to solve R&D problems, discover new materials and processing methods, create high-technology jobs and drive our region’s and state’s economies.

The Center’s impact is measured primarily through the creation of private sector jobs in materials science and advanced manufacturing at companies. Related secondary measures include increased company revenues, funding and company capital investments; as well as university jobs; grants; and intellectual property activity.

To date, Ecovative has commercialized three products including Grow It Yourself kits, which are intended to promote sustainable design and products by getting the material into the hands of the public.

The company’s R&D team is researching new applications such as surf boards and auto parts. They have bold ideas for the future including “smart” materials for circuitry and even medical implants. The first application of this research will likely be something along the lines of a mycelium-based “bone” custom molded into the exact shape your body needs, such as a hip or knee. UB’s CMI will be ready and willing to lend a hand.