Stella McCartney has just launched a line of handbags made from new-age mushroom leather.
This is the first time that a product crafted from mycelium, a vegan leather substitute made from the root-like structure in mushrooms, has been available commercially. McCartney, who is a pioneer of sustainable and animal-friendly high fashion, has partnered with biotechnology company Bolt Threads to design the Frayme Mylo bag, which retails at £1995.
The black, crescent moon shaped cluth bag is draped in a silver and gold statement chain, which comprises the handle. As with McCartney’s ready-to-wear collection the bag’s eco-friendly credentials do not detract from its impeccable craftsmanship and finish. The Frayme Mylo bag is handcrafted by Italian artisans who have been specially trained to work with mycelium materials instead of traditional leather.
The launch of the Frayme Mylo will form part of the brand’s wider “Fashion Fungi” campaign, which explores the notion that mushrooms connect us to nature and open a window into deeper psychological and spiritual expansion. The campaign will feature collaborations with renowned chefs including Raymond Blanc, Mary McCartney and Sophia Roe, who will explore mushrooms’ potential as a sustainable vegan food source.
McCartney has always pushed the boundaries when it comes to sustainability and innovation and since her eponymous brand’s inception in 2001 she has stuck by her vegan and cruelty free values. As well as eschewing leather and fur McCartney has been a pioneer of regenerated cashmere and has published an annual global environmental profit and loss account, assessing the company’s environmental impact.
Animal farming accounts for 14.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, 17,000 litres of water are required to produce 1 kilogram of leather and over 80 per cent of the Amazon’s deforestation area is used to rear. With statistics like these, it’s unsurprising that eco-conscious businesses are looking to invest in plant-based alternative materials.
Stella McCartney’s first experiment with Mylo was in 2018, to create a prototype of the iconic Falabella bag, which debuted as part of the V&A’s Fashioned from Nature Exhibition.
The Frayme Mylo bag will initially launch as a limited edition run and will be available exclusively at Stella McCartney stores from the 1st of July.
