Just when you thought there wasn’t mushroom (ahem) left for new vegan leather alternatives, another contender has entered the field. Mycelium leather, made from mushrooms is changing the alt leather game.
Essentially, mycelium is the roots of mushrooms – threads that form a weblike mass. To farm mycelium, you need to create a controlled environment that mimics natural conditions like a forest floor. The mycelium is then ‘fed’ with sawdust and other organic compounds to keep it super happy and productive. Mycelium grows really fast, so a single teeny spore can become mycelium leather in as little as two weeks.What’s more, this process converts waste and stores carbon, which is an awesome added bonus!
To turn the raw material into wearable mycelium leather requires a few more steps. After harvest, the mycelium is dried and soaked in a plasticiser such as glycerol or choline chloride – both non-toxic and relatively simple chemical compounds. It is then dried again and compressed, coloured and perhaps embossed. It ultimately looks and feels just like the real thing.
We know we don’t need to convince you of the benefits of a vegan alternative to leather, but there are a few sustainability considerations worth mentioning. In addition to being kind to cows, mycelium produces none of the methane from animal husbandry, nor pollution associated with traditional leather tanning methods. It also requires way less water and natural resources than leather of old!
While mycelium leather is still relatively niche, it is going to be popping up everywhere in the next few years. Fashion houses like Stella McCartney and Kering, as well as leisure and sportswear giants Lululemon and Adidas, have all signed up for access to the biotech developed by Bolt Threads which created Mylo – currently one of the most prominent mycelium leather companies.
The applications are endless, from bags to shoes, jackets and phone cases, it is so versatile! Stay tuned for our suggestions of the most gorgeous mycelium leather products to buy in the near future, as launches are promised for 2021.
