To offer a practical alternative to plastic packaging, researchers at IIT Madras have developed a biodegradable material made from farm and paper waste. Using fungi like Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus, the team has created packaging that is strong, lightweight, and compostable.

The project aims to reduce both agricultural waste and plastic pollution, which remain major environmental concerns in India.

The team used fungi such as Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus, growing them on materials like sawdust, cardboard, hay, and paper waste.

The resulting product is strong, lightweight, and compostable, making it a potential replacement for plastic foams like EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) and EPE (Expanded Polyethylene) used in packaging.

The project is being led by Dr Lakshminath Kundanati, Assistant Professor at the Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering. Alongside him are research scholars Ms Sandra Rose Biby and Mr Vivek Surendran.

The findings were published in the Bioresource Technology Reports journal in June 2025.

Speaking about the initiative, Dr Kundanati said, “Over 350 million tonnes of agricultural waste is generated in India each year. Much of this goes unused or is burnt, contributing to air pollution”.

“At the same time, India produces over 4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. We saw an opportunity to address both problems together,” he added.

To move from lab to real-world use, the team has founded a startup called NatureWrks Technologies.

• IIT Madras researchers have developed biodegradable packaging using fungi (mycelium) grown on agricultural and paper waste, offering an eco-friendly alternative to plastic foams like EPS and EPE.

• The research demonstrated high strength and compostability, with Ganoderma grown on cardboard outperforming conventional plastic foams in compressive strength.

• A startup named NatureWrks Technologies has been launched to scale and commercialise the innovation, promoting sustainable packaging and rural income opportunities.

Unlike past efforts that focused on a single combination of fungus and waste, the IIT Madras team tested multiple mixes.

TESTING COMBINATIONS AND FUTURE POTENTIAL

The team found that Ganoderma grown on cardboard offered the best compressive strength, ten times more than EPS. Water resistance and biodegradability were also evaluated.

Ms Biby, one of the lead researchers, said the study’s strength lies in its side-by-side comparisons. “We tested different fungi and substrates and examined how they affect strength, water absorption, and decomposition.”

The research fits into the larger idea of a circular economy, where waste is repurposed into valuable materials.

According to Mr Surendran, such packaging could also open up opportunities for rural communities. “This method creates value from low-cost, farm-level waste and could offer additional income streams for farmers.”

The material, still at prototype stage, may also be adapted for thermal and acoustic insulation in the future.

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