Green Island

Ikea, the Swedish home furnishings giant, uses 7,400 truckloads of expanded polystyrene foam a year to package its flatpacks of furniture. The difficult-to-recycle material often ends up in landfills, where it doesn't degrade.

But Ecovative Design, a spinoff from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute that's now based in Green Island, has a potential solution. Its Mushroom Packaging product, basically mycelium that can be grown into specific shapes, is being considered by Ikea as an eco-friendly replacement.

The mushroom product is easily biodegradable, and can be disposed of in a backyard garden.

The Telegraph, a United Kingdom publication, first reported last week that Ecovative's product was under consideration by Ikea.

"The great thing about mycelium is you can grow it into a mold that then fits exactly. You can create bespoke packaging," said Joanna Yarrow, head of sustainability for Ikea in the United Kingdom.

An Ecovative spokeswoman said Tuesday there's been no formal announcement regarding a partnership with Ikea. "Ecovative does not discuss partnerships prior to joint announcements," she said.

Ecovative was founded by Gavin McIntyre and Eben Bayer when they were students at RPI in Troy. Both graduated in 2007.

It has grown rapidly, doubling product revenues from 2014 to 2015, a feat it expects to repeat this year.

The company currently has 80 employees, and also produces Myco Board, a urea-formaldehyde-free alternative to engineered woods.

Ecovative also has a production plant at Ross Technology Park in North Troy.

Ecovative spokeswoman Emily Moore said the company's packaging, individually designed and shaped to meet customers' needs, is a "cost-competitive, healthy, environmentally friendly, and certifiably sustainable option" to expanded polystyrene.

An Ikea spokeswoman didn't immediately return a call for comment.

eanderson@timesunion.com • 518-454-5323