Nothing is lost, nothing is created… everything becomes mycelium. Julien Jacquet, CEO of Permafungi, has made Lavoisier’s law his own by transforming urban waste – coffee grounds, sawdust – into a raw material for a new kind of industrial production: sustainable, local, and circular.
What started out as a makeshift lab growing oyster mushrooms on coffee grounds in the cellars of the Atelier des Tanneurs – and later beneath Tour & Taxis – has, over the past decade, grown into a full-fledged industrial project.
Today, Permafungi is inaugurating nothing less than the very first industrial-scale mycomaterials factory in Europe. This light-filled building, nestled on a greened site in Forest, stands as a symbol of a new kind of urban industry: circular, connected, and deeply rooted in its territory.
“Our vision was to integrate nature into the city and to give back to the ecosystem what we had borrowed from it.”
A factory, a mission, a commitment
No more coffee grounds here – instead, the factory uses locally sourced sawdust, which Permafungi’s mycelium thrives on.
“We have access to sawdust in large quantities, which enables us to produce a stable material at scale.”
The result? A bio-based, compostable, reproducible, and visually appealing material capable of replacing polystyrene – which alone accounts for 50% of global plastic waste.
The factory currently employs 8 people, with 20 more positions to be created in the medium term.
The goal? To produce up to 5 tonnes of mycomaterial per month and capture 0.5% of the global packaging market.
Regional support as fertile ground
The Brussels Region has supported Permafungi every step of the way in its industrial development, with hub.brussels coordinating the effort.
Since its early beginnings in 2013, Permafungi has benefited from comprehensive support – from cluster circlemade’s expertise to innovation funding via Innoviris – helping the company mature its new venture.
But in 2022, after securing €2 million in European LIFE funding (via NCP), the company struggled to find a suitable site in Brussels. Relocation outside the city became a real risk.
That’s when hub.brussels stepped in to coordinate tailored support: site search with citydev.brussels, permit facilitation in collaboration with the municipality of Forest and Brussels Environment, legal advice, networking through circlemade, and guidance on international development.
Finance&Invest.brussels completed the setup with financial backing.
Brussels, a breeding ground for innovation
Beyond packaging – already used by local brands like Habeebee and Les Savonneries Bruxelloises – Permafungi’s mycelium is spreading into new sectors: lamps for the JAM Hotel in Ghent, insulation for a church in Mechelen… and soon, perhaps, vine-pruning-based packaging for wine bottles.
“Our strength lies in tailor-made solutions that align with each client’s vision.”
Innovation, circularity, frugality, relocalisation – Permafungi’s journey is a textbook example of the Shifting Economy. It also showcases the Region’s ability to actively support high-impact ventures through coordinated public action.
“This is the economy we believe in – one that turns waste into resources and creates jobs.” — Barbara Trachte, Secretary of State for Economic Transition