Last week the World Packaging Organization (WPO) announced the results of the international competition “WorldStar for Packaging”, and the work submitted from Latvia – the packaging project MYCELIUM COMPOSITE
PACKAGING PELLETS – was recognized as the winner, and the submitter – the LATVIAN STATE INSTITUTE OF WOOD CHEMISTRY (author of the work Dr. Ilze Irbe) will receive the winner’s prize. The award ceremony will take place this year on May 30th in Milan (Italy), during the packaging exhibition “IPACK-IMA”.
In the “WorldStar” competition 550 works from 40 countries competed for the prestigious award. The works were evaluated by an international jury with 51experts from 50 global packaging organizations. Works were evaluated in a ten-point system, and the received points ranked the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry among 260 winners. The packaging made in Latvia participated in the competition category “Packaging Materials and Components”.
Packaging pellets from mycelium composite (MC) are created using 100% natural and renewable raw materials – fungal mycelium and biomass from agricultural and wood processing. The production process involves the growth of living fungus within a lignocellulosic substrate, allowing for the formation of self-growing, 3D composite pellets in various shapes and sizes.
MC is a sustainable alternative to traditional packaging materials. Unlike synthetic foams, MC pellets are eco-friendly, fully biodegradable, and compostable in soil. They can be used to fill empty spaces in shipping boxes, protecting items during transit. Additionally, MC pellets can serve as a decorative filler for gift boxes while safeguarding delicate items.
The production of MC is characterized by a low-energy and carbon-neutral process, which is essential concerning climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.
It should be noted that in 2023, the packaging project MYCELIUM COMPOSITE PACKAGING PELLETS won “Grand Prix” in the national competition “The Best Packaging in Latvia – Latvia Star”, organized by the Packaging Association of Latvia (PAL), and thus was nominated for participation in the WPO competition.
Latvian companies have already received twenty-three awards since 1998, when they started participating in the prestigious “WorldStar” competition – the works of companies “VG Kvadra Pak”, “Stora Enso Packaging”, “Tukuma Piens”, “Latvijas Balzams”, “Dobeles Dzirnavnieks” and others have been awarded.
“WorldStar for Packaging” is the largest professional competition in the world, and the winner’s award is a recognition of outstanding achievement in the packaging industry. The WPO has been organizing the competition since 1970, inviting the best packages from Europe, Asia, America, Africa nominated by national competition juries to apply for participation. The winners of the competition are determined by an international jury, which includes representatives from the world’s packaging organizations, associations and institutes.
Packaging project MYCELIUM COMPOSITE PACKAGING PELLETS
Submitter: LATVIAN STATE INSTITUTE OF WOOD CHEMISTRY
Construction, design: Ilze IRBE
