Shroom and Zoom: This Boogie Board is Made from Fungus

Surfing has always provided a close connection with nature, whether that’s the power of waves or the focus on protecting the ocean. Now one company is taking it further by creating biodegradable boogie boards made from mushrooms. 

The Magical Mushroom Company primarily focuses on making sustainable packaging and putting an end to using polystyrene, more often called styrofoam. 

The company is now running a Kickstarter to get their boogie boards to beaches around the world. The U.K.-based company says they’ve teamed up with the Predn Surf Co. to perfect the design.

These boards are not aimed at seasoned professional surfers but are more in line with the thousands of small bodyboards bought by beachgoers every year. While they’re fun to ride in some small swells, unfortunately, most of them end up in the trash or, worse, the ocean. 

According to the Magical Mushroom Company, these cheap boards are made from their sworn enemy, styrofoam. Studies say the material can take as long as 500 years to break down. Worst still, 162 different marine animals, primarily seabirds, have been found to eat styrofoam and plastics. Volunteers spend countless hours cleaning up the beach, often finding pieces of boards left behind.

The company hopes to make a difference with its mushroom-based boards by doing the following: 

1. Providing an alternative to cheap, disposable bodyboards sold to tourists. 

2. Targeting casual users rather than competing with higher-end boards for dedicated bodyboarders. 

3. Maintaining an appropriate level of flex and stiffness for people of different weights and ages. 

4. Incorporating an exterior layer or coating for added durability and protection. 

5. Offering a price point that is on par with or similar to competitor boards in the market.

Right now, boards are going for about $39 on their Kickstarter.

Would you try one?

Source: https://outdoors.com/mushrooms-could-be-the-boogie-board-of-the-future/