Stella McCartney’s vegan Frayme Mylo bag is made from infinitely renewable mushroom leather and represents a huge milestone for sustainable fashion.
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Luxury clothing brand Stella McCartney has unveiled its new sustainable mushroom leather bag – the first commercially available piece of its kind.
The bag, named the Frayme Mylo, is made from a vegan leather called Mylo and features an oversized recyclable aluminium chain strap and a signature zamac medallion.
Mylo is a next-generation animal-free leather engineered from mycelium by material solutions company Bolt Threads.
Stella McCartney first partnered with Bolt Threads on vegan Microsilk in 2017 and has been part of the Mylo journey since its inception.
Mylo first appeared in a prototype of the fashion house’s iconic Falabella bag, which debuted as part of the V&A’s Fashioned from Nature exhibition in 2018.
The Frayme Mylo bag debuted this year at Paris Fashion Week and will be part of the Stella McCartney Summer 2022 collection.
“For my Summer 2022 collection, I was so inspired by fungi and their incredible potential for saving our planet – and the Frayme Mylo embodies that hope for the future,” fashion designer Stella McCartney said in a statement.
“Our long-time partners at Bolt Threads and I have a shared passion for material innovation and launching a luxury handbag made from Mylo mycelium leather is a landmark moment not only for us, but the world. What you see on the runway today is the conscious fashion industry of tomorrow,” she added.
As the first commercially available product made from Mylo material, the Frayme Mylo bag represents a huge milestone for sustainable fashion that will make smart, sustainable products more accessible to consumers.
What is Mylo?
Mylo is certified bio-based, meaning it’s made from mostly natural, renewable ingredients.
Its main component is mycelium, a network of fungal threads that is considered essential to the ecosystem. It’s also infinitely renewable.
Researchers developed Mylo by reproducing mycelium in a lab using mulch, water, air, and 100% renewable energy.
The process takes days, rather than the years it takes to produce animal leather. This helps to save on water and greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, removing cattle farming from the equation means no animals are harmed and it protects vital ecosystems like the Amazon from deforestation.
The final product is soft, supple, and has the appearance of animal-derived leather.
Mylo was made in response to the growing demand for environmentally friendly materials.
Dan Widmaier, Founder and CEO of Bolt Threads, said: “With good reason, consumers are demanding sustainable material alternatives that also look and feel great.
“Working closely with Stella and her team of innovative designers has enabled us to make Mylo a no-compromise, animal-free alternative to leather.”
Sustainability in fashion
When Stella McCartney launched 20 years ago, it brought a conscience to the fashion industry as the first luxury house to never use leather, feathers, fur or skins.
Such sustainability in fashion can have a far-reaching impact. Stella McCartney debuted its first vegan luxury bag in 2009 – the Falabella tote. The company has sold more than 1 million of the totes since then, preventing the deaths of approximately 400,000 cows.
Looking for more sustainable fashion? Check out the must have vegan leather accessories.
Image Credit: Stella McCartney
