UNIVERSITY researchers are to help a Montrose distillery turn whisky production leftovers into compostable packaging.
The MycoPack project is a collaboration between Arbikie Distillery, Edinburgh Napier University, and the University of Dundee.
The project will utilise mycelium – the root structure of fungi and distillery by-products like spent grain – to create ‘durable, lightweight’ packaging. Edinburgh Napier University added that the material created is impact-resistant, fire-retardant, and fully compostable – offering an eco-friendly alternative to plastic.
Over the next ten months the project team – headed by Dr Dongyang Sun, of Edinburgh Napier University, and Dr Wenbin Zhou, of the University of Dundee – will focus on proof of concept, material testing, and design.
Dr. Dongyang Sun, lecturer in engineering at Edinburgh Napier University, said, “At Edinburgh Napier, we’re proud to pioneer sustainable biomaterials from underused resources. MycoPack lets us showcase how fungal composites and circular design can transform whisky by-products into protective packaging that’s beautiful, compostable, and low-carbon, delivering both environmental benefit and industry value for Scotland’s net zero transition.”
Kirsty Black, distillery manager at Arbikie Distillery, added: “At Arbikie, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Our collaboration with Edinburgh Napier and Dundee Universities on MycoPack represents an exciting step forward – combining innovation and purpose to create packaging made from mycelium that’s not only environmentally responsible but deeply aligned with our values. Together, we hope to pioneer solutions that respect the planet and inspire change across the industry.”
Funded by Scotland Beyond Net Zero – a coalition of climate and sustainability experts from Scotland’s universities – the project is one of 11 new research collaborations aimed at accelerating Scotland’s transition to net zero.
Each project involves cross-sector collaborations to address sustainability challenges in energy, finance, food, the built environment, natural systems, and transport.
Professor Nick Forsyth, chair of Scotland Beyond Net Zero’s seed fund panel, commented, “This is the second round of our seed fund, we have now supported 19 innovative and collaborative projects with a total of around £300k of funding. Each project involves at least two of our member universities and one external partner, including community groups, government bodies, and the private sector. This collaborative and integrated approach is crucial to us meeting Scotland’s ambitious net zero targets. We cannot achieve these targets in isolation, we must work together to innovative, inform and adapt.”
