#Research & Development

2020-10-08

Bolt Threads partners with adidas, Kering, lululemon and Stella McCartney to introduce Mylo™

The companies and Bolt Threads unite to form a first-of-its-kind Mylo consortium, a highly unique and creative collaborative partnership, to usher in a more sustainable future for fashion

Bolt Threads, a biotechnology company creating the next generation of advanced materials, today announced the creation of an unprecedented consortium with iconic global companies who have secured exclusive access to its innovative material, Mylo™. Made from infinitely renewable mycelium, Mylo looks and feels like leather; brand partners will begin bringing products featuring Mylo to market in 2021. The Mylo consortium marks a major milestone in the industry, as global companies come together to invest in material innovation and creative solutions to reduce our environmental impact.

The consortium is the largest joint development agreement in consumer biomaterials to date, marrying deep science and high design.

"We are thrilled to be working with partners who recognize that we are in a race to develop sustainable solutions to conventional technologies,” said Bolt Threads CEO Dan Widmaier. “They are joining forces, and investing in a solution that can scale: Mylo. The consortium unites four iconic and forward-thinking companies - adidas, Kering, lululemon, and Stella McCartney - who collectively represent hundreds of millions of square feet of potential demand for Mylo. Most importantly, this is an ongoing commitment to develop materials and products for a more sustainable future."

“I have always been convinced that innovation is key to addressing the sustainability challenge that Luxury is facing. Finding innovative, alternative materials and fabrics can potentially drastically reduce the environmental impact of our industry over the long term. This is why Kering is actively looking for innovations in this field and it’s why we became an early supporter of Bolt Threads. Mylo is one of the very promising solutions that we have identified,” said François-Henri Pinault, Chairman & CEO, Kering.

“Many people associate leather with luxury but since the beginning I always wanted to approach things in a different way because killing animals for the sake of fashion is quite simply not acceptable. Working so closely with Bolt Threads since 2017 has been a career changing experience and I cannot wait to launch Mylo products to market in 2021,” said Stella McCartney, Founder and Creative Director.

Consortium partners were drawn to Mylo because of its remarkable resemblance to soft, supple leather. Mylo can be used like animal or synthetic leather and can take on any color, finish or emboss. The first Mylo products will be available for purchase in stores and online starting in 2021.

“For too long the industry standard has categorized materials as either natural or highly functional - but not both. The way to remedy this is to innovate responsibly with solutions that challenge the status quo, and products that use the best of what nature has spent millions of years perfecting - like Mylo - are critical to that,” said James Carnes, VP Global Brand Strategy at adidas. “We hope this inspires others to join forces, as a more sustainable future is something that no brand can create alone.”

“At lululemon, we are committed to making products and operating our business in an innovative, sustainable way for our guests. The Mylo consortium demonstrates how leading global brands can collaborate across industries to be part of a lasting solution to restore a healthy environment. We firmly believe that innovation and sustainability are key to the future of retail,” said Sun Choe, Chief Product Officer, lululemon.

The process of finding the right brand partners was highly selective, based on mission alignment and a demonstrated commitment to sustainability. The four selected companies appreciate that Mylo is developed from the ground up with environmental impact at the forefront. For the Mylo consortium partners, this is more than a marketing story as they are investing in science and research to make sure the material is truly better for the planet.

More on Mylo: High-Tech Science + Low Environmental Impact

Mylo is everything you love about leather without everything you (and the planet) don’t. Made from infinitely renewable mycelium - the branching underground structure of mushrooms - Mylo is created using a highly efficient grow process that is intentionally designed to be low impact – taking less than two weeks to grow, emitting fewer greenhouse gases and using less water and resources than animal leather.

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