Luxury fashion house, Stella McCartney, has introduced The Frayme Mylo, the first luxury vegan bag crafted from mycelium – the root-like structures of fungi, in partnership with Bolt Threads.
The product is handcrafted by Italian artisans, using Mylo – a vegan alternative to animal leather. Meanwhile, the chain and medallion are made from recyclable aluminium. The Frayme Mylo first appeared at Paris Fashion Week as part of Stella’s fungi-inspired Summer 2022 collection. The range will be available for sale from July 1.
Before the Frayme range, Mylo leather was used in several designs from major brands, including the Stan Smith Mylo by Adidas, and Lululemon’s yoga and accessories range.
“When most of us imagine mushrooms, we picture the bulbous caps that sprout up in gardens or forests,” the company said.
“However, under that is mycelium – the naturally abundant and infinitely renewable root-like system of fungi. It is the internet of the natural world; a complex and connected network of lattices, weaving across and holding together the Earth’s surface.”
According to Bolt Threads, the mycelium used to make Mylo is grown in less than two weeks, using mulch, air, and water in a vertical agriculture facility that is 100 per cent powered by renewable energy. It is then harvested and processed into a material form using Green Chemistry principles, without the use of harmful chemicals like dmfA and chromium.
The Frayme Mylo is an addition to Stella McCartney’s series of sustainable lines, such as The Reclypse and Loop.
