Are mushrooms the future?

At Sauder, we’re all about the environment. From our manufacturing processes to the engineered wood we use to make our products, we constantly look for ways to build upon our founding principles of stewardship and servanthood. For instance, our packaging is made from up to 97 percent recycled material — but there’s still about 3 percent room for improvement!
 
That’s why we were so excited to learn about Ecovative. The material science company located in Green Island, N.Y., is developing a new type of home-compostable bioplastic as an alternative to foam packaging and other synthetic materials.
 
And they’re doing it with mushrooms. You read that right. Mushrooms!
 
Ecovative uses agricultural waste and mushroom mycelium — a natural glue — to make its environmentally responsible products. Their products span a variety of industries, including packaging, automotive and even surfboards. Once the product is at the end of its life, it can feed your garden as compost. How cool is that?
 
While Ecovative’s packaging line isn’t a fit for Sauder’s current packaging needs, we’re inspired by like-minded companies that are developing new technology and are as committed as we are to environmental responsibility and sustainability.