To mark its 20th anniversary, Stella McCartney continues its collaboration with Bolt Threads to merge deep science and luxury designs in the latest collection of eco-friendly garments fashioned out of Mylo mycelium leather to show the potential of the next-generation material.
Inspired by its McCartney A to Z Manifesto, the luxury fashion house underlines its commitment to bringing conscience to the fashion industry -- having never used leather, feathers, fur or skins. Stella and Bolt Threads have been partners in sustainable innovation since 2017, and the first product crafted from Mylo was a prototype of Stella's iconic Falabella bag, which made a debut as part of the V&A's Fashioned from Nature exhibition in 2018.
"I believe the Stella community should never have to compromise luxury desirability for sustainability, and Mylo allows us to make that a reality. 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," Stella McCartney said.
"Creating new, high-quality biomaterials is a major technological challenge and a massive opportunity for people and the planet. I am incredibly grateful and humbled by Stella and her team for their long-term partnership and support in bringing Mylo to the world. 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 represents tangible progress toward large-scale production where Mylo can make a significant positive impact on our planet," says Dan Widmaier, chief executive and founder of Bolt Threads.
The quality is equal to animal leather and can reduce environmental impact. Mylo is a soft, substantial material that is certified bio-based, while mycelium is regenerative and thrives abundantly in the wild feeding on natural resources.
At Bolt Threads, scientists have learned to reproduce what happens under the forest floor, where mycelium grows best, in a lab to create Mylo with mulch, air and water -- spawning a new category of material science.
The advanced process is designed to have a minimal environmental impact and save time rather than raising cattle. It requires 17,000 litres of water to produce a kilogramme of leather, with animal agriculture accounting for approximately 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions and driving the destruction of vital ecosystems; 70-80% of the Amazon's deforested area is now used for cattle pastures. Mylo is not petroleum-based, unlike synthetic leathers, meaning more fossil fuels can be kept in the ground and less plastic is deposited into landfills and oceans.
