Tag Archives: disposable design

A Mycelium grill design, made from edible fungus can be biodegraded and fertilizes the earth!

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MYC is a sustainable disposable grill made from mycelium, a biodegradable and fireproof vegetative part of a fungus that’s safe and edible for humans.

With the end of summer already closing in on us, camping is all the more popular and so are barbeques, which means the garbage is getting left behind once the grill’s off. Disposable grills allow barbeques to take place outdoors without the hassle of lugging around a portable one, but the familiar aluminum grills often get left behind at the site once the BBQ is finished. Industrial design student Stephanie Singer created MYC, a sustainable disposable grill made from fungal mycelium as an alternative to the aluminum disposable grill.

In researching fireproof materials to build her grill, Singer found mycelium, a fireproof, vegetative part of a fungus that’s safe and edible for humans. Mycelium hosts an array of properties that make it the ideal choice with which to build a disposable grill. Inexpensive and very easy to grow, mycelium is an accessible, sustainable alternative building material that’s water repellent, naturally insulating, and entirely biodegradable. After cultivating her own lot of mycelium, Singer constructed prototypes of MYC and envisioned the disposable grill lining the shelves of convenience stores and gas stations to bring the choice of sustainable disposable grills to the masses. Following the use of an MYC grill, instead of searching for the nearest garbage can, grillers can simply cut up and leave MYC at the campsite to biodegrade and fertilize the earth.

While mycelium constructs the chunk of MYC, Singer sought out additional accessories to make the grill operable. Discussing the various biodegradable materials used to build MYC, Singer says, “MYC consists of a bowl made of fungal mycelium, a grate made of bamboo sticks, and dried corn cobs as fuel. The product is available as a compact grill kit and is protected by a minimalist cardboard cover. Dried corn cobs are used as fuel, as these are a waste product in the field in EU agriculture when growing fodder corn. As soon as the embers are ready, the bamboo sticks can easily be placed in the bulges on the side to create a grate.”

Designer: Stephanie Singer

The post A Mycelium grill design, made from edible fungus can be biodegraded and fertilizes the earth! first appeared on Yanko Design.

This biodegradable toothpaste + recycled disposable toothbrush combo leaves zero footprint on the environment!

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Disposable paper products come in handy more often than we might expect. While it’s a responsible and sustainable choice to go with disposable alternatives considering their plastic rivals, it can also be a convenient one. Whether we find ourselves backpacking in the mountains, camping in the woods, or road-tripping across the country, disposable home products are lightweight to carry and easy to get rid of.

A team of designers based in China unveiled their own disposable home product, a recycled paper toothbrush called Cycle that even comes complete with biodegradable toothpaste. Made from food-grade recycled paper, Cycle boasts an environmentally friendly design that’s as physically safe as it is biodegradable. Cycle comes in sets, complete with a protective covering for the toothbrush’s bristles and a detachable sachet of toothpaste. Before use, consumers can remove the protective covering, and rip off the attached packet of toothpaste and once the job is done, Cycle can then be discarded without fear of harming the environment. Packaged in sets of four or five, Cycle makes the ideal travel companion for short camping trips or even indoor getaways that call for a couple of days’ worth of brushing your teeth.

With sustainable design growing in popularity and demand, designers have taken to recycled packaging and biodegradable construction material to home in on their commitment to the environment. The team of designers behind Cycle takes on this global sustainability initiative with a disposable toothbrush that gives value to a new mode of recyclable design, leaving no footprint on the environment.

Designers: Liu Ming, Qin Yimeng, Chen Yuxuan, Lin Weiting, & Yan Tian

Coming in sets of four to five, Cycle comes with a protective covering and detachable sachet of toothpaste for easy application. Users simply remove Cycle’s protective covering, detach toothpaste sachet, apply the toothpaste, and discard after use.

Rivaling only with pre-existing plastic toothbrushes, Cycle leaves no footprint on the environment.