Fungi are a unique, and little-understood organism. They are neither plants nor animal, yet they exhibit qualities of both. They are also everywhere, mostly hidden, cryptic yet vital citizens of the ecosystems they inhabit.

One essential part of fungi is the mycelium, its vegetative structure. It’s through the mycelium that a fungus absorbs all its nutrients, but its network of threads connects fungi to plants. This mutually beneficial system carries nutrients, water and other substances across the network to other plants. They’re also critical when it comes to helping plant material decompose.

It is this mycelium that environmentally-friendly company Ecovative leverages in a process they call “Mycelium Biofabrication Platform.” The process programs the cells to form in desirable ways by controlling the nutrients, environment and DNA. The mycelium bonds organic substrate made from agricultural waste together into the desired shape. In doing so, they’ve created a material that rivals styrofoam.