GREEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Ecovative Design, a company in the Capital Region, is taking steps to protect the environment by making packaging out of mushroom material.
"The idea was inspired from something I saw growing up in Vermont," said Eben Bayer.
Bayer saw mushroom mycelium on the forest floor. Now, the same stuff is used to hold agriculture wastes together.
"Our insight was taking this technology from nature and putting it into an industrial setting," Bayer said.
Bayer and co-founder Gavin McIntyre began developing their idea as students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. They wanted a cheaper and eco-friendly replacement for styrofoams and plastics. They started in the classroom, and made samples in their dorm rooms.
Nearly eight years after conception, their venture has expanded. From a team of two to 65 employees, with headquarters in Green Island, and a client list of major companies including Dell and Steelcase.
Bayer says there's still more growth to come. They've recently developed a new product, compressing the material to make a consistency similar to wood.
"What we want is to do a couple of products well and do them well enough so we can start accessing new products for this platform," Bayer said.
They're reaching a wider range of markets, as well. The company has launched a "Grow it Yourself" kit. Using the materials from Ecovative, customers can grow their products, from furniture to surfboards.
"It's exciting for us because folks are creating designs that we wouldn't have been able to do or even thought of."
Bayer said their technology has no shortage of possibilities, but no matter what direction they branch off to, their mission will stay the same:
"Taking great technology from nature and making great products that protect our planet."