Each year, 15 billion kilograms of styrofoam are used to create packaging. However, less than a day after use, it ends up in a landfill, where it can take up to 100 years to decompose. Julia Bialetska once asked herself, "Is styrofoam or plastic always necessary for packaging?" This led to the development of eco-friendly packaging made from hemp and mushroom mycelium by the Ukrainian couple Julia Bialetska and Yevhen Tomilin.
Their company, S.Lab, showcased their developments at the UN Climate Conference COP29 last November.
Such packaging can replace styrofoam or plastic. The idea for more eco-friendly packaging came to the couple during their travels in Asia, where they saw "huge mountains of garbage and plastic dumped from the ocean instead of beautiful nature."
"To create a new material for packaging, you need two components: something to give it structure and something to bind it together. We decided to find two natural components for this," the couple says.
Initially, they tried using hemp stalks, but combined with synthetic glue, this led to irreversible polymerization (a chemical process that strengthens fibers). Eventually, they opted to use mycelium. Scientists from the Institute of Botany grew the mycelium for the couple and demonstrated the basic techniques for working with it.
As a result, the couple created a bio-based packaging solution without synthetic additives. Thanks to the strength of plant waste, the material is considered durable, waterproof, heat-insulating, and fire-resistant. This packaging can decompose in just 30 days.
