Edinburgh Napier University

University researchers will help turn whisky production leftovers into compostable packaging in a newly funded collaboration.

The project, MycoPack, is a collaboration between Arbikie Distillery, Edinburgh Napier University and the University of Dundee. MycoPack combines innovation with sustainable design, turning waste into valuable packaging and supporting a circular economy.

It is one of 11 collaborative projects awarded funding by Scotland Beyond Net Zero, a collaboration between Scotland’s universities to support Scotland’s drive to net zero.

Arbikie Distillery have partnered with Dr Dongyang Sun, Edinburgh Napier University and Dr. Wenbin Zhou, University of Dundee, to use mycelium, the root structure of fungi, and distillery by-products like spent grain to create durable, lightweight packaging. The material created is impact-resistant, fire-retardant, and fully compostable, offering an eco-friendly alternative to plastic.

Over the next 10 months the project team will focus on proof of concept, testing the material and the 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 said: “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 leading climate and sustainability experts from Scotland's universities – this 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 said: "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."

Other funded projects involving Edinburgh Napier researchers include HI-SCOT, a collaboration between ENU, Robert Gordon University and Historic Environment Scotland, will focus on integrating photovoltaic (PV) technology into Scotland's historic buildings, addressing challenges with aesthetics, regulations, and public acceptance. The initiative will explore how PV systems can blend with historic architecture. Research will explore mimicking traditional materials and using coatings to minimise visual impact, creating guidelines for Scotland's historic architecture.

ENU is also partnering with the University of Edinburgh and Trimble Inc. for Beyond Net Zero Built, a project looking to improve building performance with the use of digital twinning. Researchers will create data rich digital twin models of two small scale existing buildings which will then be tested with using the latest augmented reality technology.