Collaboration Between Luxury Brands & Mushroom-based Artificial Leather: Who is Sustainable Material Pioneer 'Bolt Threads'?

In recent years, due to the growing concerns about environmental issues and the ethical treatment of animals confronting the fashion industry, opportunities to see real fur and real leather are decreasing. When luxury brands using these materials hold fashion shows, there are often animal rights activists protesting outside the venue, suggesting that attitudes towards these issues have become stronger than before.

One of the luxury brands that has always refrained from using real fur and real leather is 'Stella McCartney'. I remember being surprised at the time, as there were hardly any such brands around 20 years ago. Nowadays, eco-fur and vegan leather are probably perceived not as 'cheap items', but as 'good for the earth' and 'cool'. Times are constantly changing.

The San Francisco-based startup 'Bolt Threads' that I interviewed this time, is attracting attention as the company that developed 'Mylo™', a new material derived from mushroom mycelium. This material is being featured in collaborations with major companies worldwide, such as 'Stella McCartney', 'Adidas', 'Kering', and 'Lululemon', garnering significant attention.