The global cattle industry — where the majority of leather comes from — has a massive environmental impact, producing roughly as much greenhouse gas as the United States.

Unlike the production of conventional leather, making Mylo material doesn't involve raising livestock. The materials core ingredient is mycelium, the vegetal part of fungi, the complex latticework of underground fibres that connect plants and trees. The mycelium grown for Mylo material is produced in days, using far fewer resources and eliminating resource-intensive livestock. The mycelium cells are fed with organic materials, such as sawdust, and are placed on growing mats. Mylo can be grown into any shape, eliminating pattern cutting waste. The material is then dyed and tanned similarly to conventional leather but without the hazardous chemicals used. The goal with Mylo material is to consider every aspect of the lifecycle and reduce its environmental impact throughout the whole process. The mycelium used to make Mylo material is infinitely renewable and grown by expert mushroom farmers and scientists in indoor vertical farming facilities in Europe and the United States.

Bolt Threads have created a material that rivals the look and feel of animal leather and are investing in constructing a supply chain that would allow it to be manufactured at a commercially viable scale. This process would enable Mylo to be produced at a comparable price to animal leather.

Mylo has been used in collaboration with brands including Adidas, Lululemon, Stella McCartney.

Mylo material is not currently biodegradable, which is the case for pretty much all leather and alternative leathers. Sustainability is a measure of inputs and processing steps as well as end of life. In the future, the company hopes to create versions of Mylo material that can be repurposed and reused as long as possible, and then be returned to natural and industrial systems in a cycle that is truly sustainable.

Photo by Damir Omerovic on Unsplash