Plastic is one of the most critical materials for the development of the modern economy. However, it is also one of the largest pollutants on our planet. Despite the fact that in recent decades the focus of both people and businesses has shifted towards environmental consciousness, the lack of a cost-competitive and equally flexible alternative still supports plastic's dominance.
There are potential solutions, such as the mycelium composite material developed by the Bulgarian company Biomyc. It was created on the basis of mushroom mycelium in combination with other materials such as lavender, straw, hemp to achieve the desired shape and application for the end consumer.
The full range of possibilities for the use of this composite material has not yet been fully explored, but judging by Biomyc's experience so far, it can certainly find a place in packaging, construction and the automotive sector. An example of the latter is the Bulgarian company's developments with giants in the sector like Mercedes-Benz and KIA.
Biomyc, registered in the city of Pleven, reported revenues of 263,000 levs (131,500 euro) and a profit of 21,000 levs for 2023. The company is 90% owned by Atanas Enev, who is also its manager, while 10% is owned by chief technologist Albert Krastev.
The challenge of new materials
"Our company believes that the future is made of mushrooms," Enev told the Capital Weekly. "Right now everyone is trying to position themselves in the market with products that are environmentally friendly. Although they are still more expensive in terms of product and production method, they are growing more than twice as fast as any other category. That's why most large companies, like those we work with, are trying to create innovative and eco-friendly products."
Despite the interest from large companies in alternative materials such as the composite created by Biomyc, Enev noted that their adoption is still slow. However, this is not unexpected. Firstly, because the dominant material, plastic, is a product that has been developed for more than 150 years and there is no other product yet that is as cost-competitive while offering the same scale of applicability, supply chain and production. Another challenge is that it takes time to prototype new materials and there is a lack of repeatable functionality or flexibility in production and application. The third obstacle to the introduction of new materials is the still small number of experts who can work with them and have enough understanding of how to use them-something that has been gradually improving in recent years, Enev notes.
Modular solution
One of the sectors where mycelium composite is gaining significant popularity is packaging. Biomyc sees a solution in building its own line of 25 separate modules that can be combined in different ways and branded according to the client's needs. The project is financed with 130,000 levs from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and provides an opportunity to package a wide range of products - from cosmetics to bottles and more.
"In this way we significantly reduce the time and costs for the client to create an eco-friendly package, which would otherwise take months and substantial investments. There's no need for lengthy sales discussions, form developments or getting to the right design. This is one way to popularize these types of products and reduce their final price. Everything is ready and can be ordered directly by the client, which means we can save up to 5,000 euro per client in preparatory costs and more for design, experimentation, etc.," Enev commented.
In recent years some of the company's most notable successes have been in the automotive sector. Biomyc has developed two components used in the assembly of Mercedes-Benz models S-Class and QS. A project with South Korea's KIA Motors allowed Biomyc to develop over 180 samples for testing its material in processing methods, coloring, durability, texture and more. The final result of this work is featured in the production of the upcoming EV3 model of KIA, in which mycelium material is used in the central console.
Closing the loop
At this stage the company mainly works on design and technological development but does not have its own production. Biomyc's latest project is a step towards solving this issue by creating a mushroom factoryfacility in the northern town of Svishtov. It is developed by The Bulgarian Mushroom Company, in which Solarid Pleven holds a stake of 51% and Biomyc owns the remaining 49%. So far, around 1 million levs have been invested in the project, with the amount expected to reach 2.5 million levs by the completion of the first phase. "The main sectors we work with are packaging, automotive and construction and we are making this investment for the future. In time, we aim to offer direct products for these industries and thus close the production cycle," commented Enev.
The development of the mushroom factory will be carried out in several stages, the first of which is for the production of oyster mushrooms primarily for the Bulgarian market, followed by export to countries like Romania and Turkey. "The good thing is that this way we can meet several needs. On the one hand, we can sell fresh oyster mushrooms and if there is interest, we could also produce canned products. Beyond that, in future, we will also be able to produce our composite, which will be used in other sectors," said Enev.
In five years the factory in Svishtov is expected to have the capacity to produce 10,000 sq. m of mycelium-based construction material annually. According to Enev, demand for this material will naturally increase in the coming years.
Plastic is one of the most critical materials for the development of the modern economy. However, it is also one of the largest pollutants on our planet. Despite the fact that in recent decades the focus of both people and businesses has shifted towards environmental consciousness, the lack of a cost-competitive and equally flexible alternative still supports plastic's dominance.
There are potential solutions, such as the mycelium composite material developed by the Bulgarian company Biomyc. It was created on the basis of mushroom mycelium in combination with other materials such as lavender, straw, hemp to achieve the desired shape and application for the end consumer.
