Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

UK: Magical Mushroom Company supplied a stage at Glastonbury Festival in Somerset on 25 – 30 June 2025 featuring mycelium fungus and hemp-based acoustic insulation panels. Dezeen News has reported that the panels have shown promise in tests for thermal insulation applications. They are fully compostable in 50 days, making them especially suited to temporary construction.

Magical Mushroom Company arranged the insulation in 25 large ‘discs’ of 32 panels. The order took seven days to produce at its plant in Surrey. It estimates its current production capacity at 50,000 panels/week.

Germany: Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research have developed a novel insulation from fungal mycelium. Professional Engineering News has reported that the materials are naturally woven by the mycelium filaments by which fungi spread. Researchers successfully varied fungus type, feed and environmental conditions to produce a range of performance characteristics comparable to conventional expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation. Additionally, the materials offer high fire resistance and moisture regulation.