FAQ
We have posted the answers for you to some frequently asked questions. Have you read the answers, and do you still have some burning questions? Feel free to contact us via the contact page!
Yes! Make sure you have several points to attach and maybe a piece of wood attached to the panel, instead of adding screws directly into the panels. The material might still be fragile, and therefore normal screws might damage the material. Be careful and use screws with a large cap into the material.
No, this is not possible. Sanding the panels will result in the loss of the mycelium skin surrounding the panel.
Yes, to a certain extent. You can cut the panels. Take into account that the cut parts will be fibrous, as this is the inside of the mycelium composite. To avoid any loss of fibres or strength, you could add a bio-based coating.
Yes, we still ship to the UK. However, due to both COVID and Brexit, some of our shipments to the UK are delayed or missing. Luckily, we noticed that the number of issues is decreasing.
With regret we have to inform you that our shipper UPS, just like all other shippers, has made a waiver for any claims during this COVID pandemic.
Unlike UPS we will support you in case your packages get lost, but unfortunately we cannot cover all costs. If your product gets lost during shipment, or if the substrate of your GIY-kit has become obsolete, we will give a 50% discount on the product price of your next order.
Yes, it is possible to ship your order to a non-EU country. As it is not possible to finalize such an order directly via the website, we ask you to send us an email with the products you want to order and the shipping address. We create a “Special product” for you, and you can finalize the order.
Do note that we cannot guarantee that your product arrives and that UPS, our shipper, currently does not accept claims due to COVID. Furthermore, we ask for an additional €25,- admin fee.
Feel free to send us an email with additional questions about this!
All orders are sent on the next Monday. So all orders placed and paid before Sunday 23:59 will be shipped the next Monday. This also applies for Express shipments.
We cannot give a fixed delivery date. Our experience is that 90% arrives within 3-5 days and Express shipments within 1-2 days.
If you use a private address for shipping address and you’re not at home when UPS delivers, it most likely will be dropped at a UPS Access Point, so keep a eye on your email.
Yes, we ship all our orders carbon neutral via UPS.
We have created an instruction video for you as well as an instruction manual for the Grow It Yourself Kit and an instruction manual for the GIY Packaging Kit. Do you still have doubts or questions after looking at the instructions and FAQ’s? Don’t hesitate to contact us!
Our GIY kits consist of hemp and mycelium. The hemp consists of hemp waste particles of 5 to 15mm inoculated with mycelium.
Mycelium grows in ambient temperatures. Before using the substrate, you want to slow down the growing process. Place the substrate in the refrigerator (1° – 7°C) and best use it within five days. Don’t place your substrate in the freezer.
Yes! The water is a result of the drop in temperature. We keep the substrate in a very cold environment, which is not conserved during the shipping. Therefore, some water is released.
No, you don’t have to! We encourage you to do a little experiment and still use your substrate. If it’s very difficult to break up the substrate in small particles, it might be that the mycelium already started doing its job by gluing the particles together. Don’t worry, just add a little bit of water to prepare it for production.
Yes, you can! During shipping, the mycelium is exposed to warmer temperatures and therefore starts its growth. The white is the mycelium that is doing its job. When the shipping takes longer, the mycelium will grow, and thus more white parts will be in the bag of substrate. The process even speeds up when it’s warmer outside. But in the plastic bag, the material will stay moist, and alive.
Make sure to properly break down the substrate in small chunks to avoid air cavities when filling your mould. This will make the white colour disappear, but the mycelium will still be there! Do you want to know if it is moist enough? Make a small ball in your hand, and if it doesn’t fall apart the moist level is good. If not, add a little water.
This sculpting mix helps you shape the substrate. It changes the substrate in a more clayish texture which helps to create new shapes.
1. Loosen your GIY substrate in a sterile environment
2. Add 30 g for every kg substrate used (measure precisely)
3. Add the sculpting mix
4. Mix thoroughly
5. Put the substrate in the shape you want
The sculpting mix has to be added when working the substrate, not after drying.
For more detailed instructions, check our instruction manual.
The answer is unequivocally NO… Some of you might feel sorry about that:) But the hemp waste we use, is industrial hemp that does not contain THC. The only organism that grows in the kit is the mycelium.
You can keep the substrate refrigerated for a maximum of five days. During its storage, it loses moisture and can therefore dry out. Make sure you use it when it is still nice and ‘fresh’.
Instead of ethanol, also iso-propylalcohol (IPA) can be used. Also detergent, normally used for dishes, utensils, cups, etc, can be used for cleaning moulds, hands, mixing bowl, etc. Rinse thoroughly so no soap is left behind.
You can use any type of four. It just functions as a ‘kickstarter’ for the growth of the mycelium.
Yes, you can. However, we cannot guarantee it will work. Make sure you work sterile, and do not mix the added substrate too much.
Yes, when baking your product, you can use your own oven.
- For products with a thickness > 2.5 cm:
- Place the product in the oven at +/- 40° C for 3-4 hours with the door a bit open so the moisture can escape.
- Bake off at 80°C for 2 hours.
- For products with a thickness < 2.5 cm:
- Place the product in the oven at 80° C for 2-3 hours.
In our factory we have incubators to control the humidity level. However, when growing the mycelium yourself, just make sure you cover the mold filled with the substrate to keep the moisture of the substrate in the mold. You do not want the moisture to evaporate, or your product will dry out.
No, this is not required. Mycelium grows just fine in a dark place, and some daylight does not matter. Do not place the mycelium in direct sunlight, this will heat the substrate and it could dry out faster.
It’s possible but it’ll weaken the structure of your product. If this is not an issue for the purpose you have in mind for your product, feel free to experiment and extend the growing period. When the substrate starts to turn brown-ish, it means mushrooms are on their way!
Please keep in mind that if you need your product to be strong, you have to stop the growing process in time.
Make sure to keep mixing until all flour is evenly distributed, meaning no chunks of flour in your substrate. Also, try to avoid chunks of substrate by breaking them apart in small particles with your (clean) hands or tools.
When adding wood in the middle of your substrate, it is not necessary to add glue or resin. The mycelium will bind naturally to the wood, which you can attach to the wall afterwards.
Consider the weight of the mycelium composite. If it is too heavy and the wood too small, it might break.
Mycelium is not poisonous, but we definitely do not recommend eating the substrate.
If you see a green/blue-ish spot, you have spotted contamination. If you’ve spotted this in your still closed GIY substrate, contact us.
Contamination can also occur after you’ve filled your mould or while drying. First, make sure to work sterile. Contamination can occur while filling your mould due to your working surface/hands/mould not being clean enough. Second, a few precautions can be taken to prevent contamination during the drying process. Especially thicker shapes (more than 2.5cm) and products that have been taken out of the mould but are still alive/wet are susceptible to contamination. See below for the guidelines we recommend for drying:
- For products with a thickness > 2.5 cm:
- Place the product in the oven at +/- 40° C for 3-4 hours with the door a bit open so the moisture can escape.
- Bake off at 80°C for 2 hours.
- For products with a thickness < 2.5 cm:
- Place the product in the oven at 80° C for 2-3 hours.
A contaminated product can be thrown away.
No, the material will lose rigidity and will become susceptible to degradation when repeatedly exposing it to water. It does repulse water for some time and it even floats! Of course, it not raining all the time. In between showers the material will passively dry and maintain some rigidity. But in the long run, it will lose.
We are working on the development of a bio-based coating that makes our material 100% waterproof.
It is better not to store mycelium in wet areas, because when the mycelium gets wet it will lose its strength. So, the material itself should be kept dry. Furthermore, other fungi might exist in wet areas which consider mycelium as nutrition. One way to protect it is by using a coating. On demand only, Grown.bio offers the coating of product for its customers.
Every case is different, but we are happy to explore possible packaging solutions for your product. Reach out to use and we can discuss how suitable your product is.
At Grown.Bio, we focus upon sustainable packaging solutions for people that are looking for circular alternatives. We grow packaging for bottles, electronics, cosmetic products or any other shape that needs to be packed. Check out this page to find out more about mycelium packaging!
We have summarized the properties in a spec sheet for you.
I want to experiment with my product once I received it. How can I adapt my product post-production?
The possibilities are endless! You can for example cut the material with a saw, drill holes in it or cover it in laminated wood. We recommend natural, biobased sealants as the purpose of the material is to not add toxins to the environment. The material can be sanded and finished with beeswax, milk paint, water-based polyurethane, and more.
Our materials are not certified for direct food contact. The materials are water permeable and are not recommended for applications such as disposable cups.
It strongly depends on the environment in which you place your product. If you keep it in an inside environment, its lifespan can be a couple of years. Only when it comes into direct contact with soil or water it will start to degrade. Do not expose to high humidity.
