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MYLO LEATHER

BY BOLTTHREAD


Leather is a very important material in the world of fashion. It is used to make pieces of clothing, shoes, and even home décor designs. However, with the world’s focus on environmentally sustainable fashion becoming more intense, it is not uncommon to ask how sustainable the conventional leather production processes are.
This has led to various companies trying to come up with alternatives that serve the many purposes of leather without the harmful consequences of its production.


Who are Boltthreads? 
 In the bid to promote and encourage sustainable fashion and make it accessible to consumers, Boltthreads, a textile fabric company, has devised a means to make a leather copy from mycelium. Mycelium is the underground structure (root) of mushrooms. Upon intensive study and understanding of this material, it was found to be as durable, breathable, and flexible as animal leather. Bolt threads decided to subject mycelium cells to optimal conditions. This resulted in the growth of a very supple material called “Mylo” that is sustainable and feels exactly like the conventional leather we have used for decades. 

“Animal Leather is so First Century” is the watchword of Bolt Threads concerning Mylo. Their goal with mycelium engineering is to create a material with all the amazing qualities of animal leather that we love, without the harmful and toxic production processes. 


Environmental Benefits of Mylo
The unique selling point of this product is that the environment is not harmed in any way during its production and disposal. Animal leather takes a lot of time and resources to produce, and since it involves the killing of livestock, this means these animals have to be reared and kept for leather producing processes. The rearing of these animals leads to an emission of harmful greenhouse gases to the environment over time, causing global warming.

Mylo comes as the much-needed breath of fresh air in fashion. It has a wide range of benefits to the environment, some of which are discussed below;
  • It is supple and just as soft as animal-based leather.
  • It is durable and strong.
  • Mylo is resistant to water, moisture, and abrasion.
  • The growth period of Mylo is incredibly low (a matter of weeks) when compared to the time needed for the hide to grow and mature.
  • The company has direct control over the shape and features of the mycelium. This can avoid wastage as materials can be made and customized from scratch for consumers. 
  • It is significantly healthier for the environment than other synthetic forms of leather or that are made from animals.
  • It is 100% biodegradable, and a significant amount of its raw materials are made from natural ingredients.
  • No harmful or toxic chemicals are used in Mylo production.
  • It takes less than half the time for animal leather production to produce Mylo.
  • No animals are sacrificed for the production of Mylo, and this makes the product 100% vegan and cruelty-free. 


It goes without saying that sustainable fashion is a welcome development given the looming threat of climate change. It is crucial to our sustainability as the human race to protect our environment, and we can begin by eradicating washed-up and harmful procedures that endanger it. 

Mylo is a glowing light at the end of what has been a dark tunnel for decades. With the brilliance of Boltthread, we hope that this product is accessible and available soon for the sake of our planet.