As society continues to embrace a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way of life, a growing number of clothing and gear manufacturers have been experimenting with developing more eco-friendly alternatives to long-held traditional constructions, with brands introducing soy and cactus-based “leathers” that are nearly indistinguishable from real animal hides. One of the latest and most interesting leather alternatives comes from Indonesia-based biotech firm, Mycotech Lab (MYCL) which recently unveiled its mushroom-based material dubbed “Mylea.”
The novel material is derived from mushroom mycelium, the vegetative part of a fungi’s structure or mass. In addition to the mushrooms only requiring 60 days to be fully grown and ready to harvest, this new material is fully biodegradable within 84 weeks once disposed of and reduces water use by a whopping 99% compared to traditional leather manufacturing. Using Mylea, MYCL has partnered with fellow Indonesian outfit, BRODO, to deliver a handful of new Mylea-constructed goods and accessories including “mushroom leather” luggage tags, a bifold wallet, a watch strap, a pair of sandals, and a low-top All Star-style sneaker. The companies have also released a Mylea sample kit and an armature lamp made from the mushroom-based material. Available for order and preorder now, the MYCL x BRODO’s collection starts at $18 for the sample kit and goes up to $160 for the sneakers.
