British fashion designer Stella McCartney recently unveiled the first-ever garments made with Mylo, a vegan, sustainable, animal-free leather alternative made from mycelium, a renewable underground root system of fungi, developed by California-based Bolt Threads. She used the fabric for two garments: a black bustier top and utilitarian trousers.
Both were handcrafted from panels of the mycelium-based material laid on recycled nylon scuba at the brand’s atelier in London.British fashion designer Stella McCartney recently unveiled the first-ever garments made with Mylo, a vegan, sustainable, animal-free leather alternative made from mycelium, a renewable underground root system of fungi, developed by California-based Bolt Threads. She used the fabric for two garments: a black bustier top and utilitarian trousers.#
The two pieces are not for sale, but the designer plans to integrate the leathery fabric into future collections, according to British media reports.
“I believe the Stella community should never have to compromise luxury desirability for sustainability, and Mylo allows us to make that a reality,” said McCartney in a statement.
“These rare, exclusive pieces embody our shared commitment with Bolt Threads to innovate a kinder fashion industry - one that sees the birth of beautiful, luxurious materials as opposed to the deaths of our fellow creatures and planet,” she added.
“The material used in these two garments not only represents a huge step forward in both aesthetics and performance of biomaterials, but also marks the beginning of the rollout of product-ready Mylo. This is tangible progress toward large-scale production where Mylo can make a significant positive impact on our planet,” Dan Widmaier, chief executive and founder of Bolt Threads, said.
In October 2020, Bolt Threads announced that it was introducing Mylo fabric, which looks and feels like leather, as part of an exclusive consortium of brands, including McCartney, alongside Adidas, Kering and Lululemon. The company aims large-scale production for its sustainable leather alternative.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)