Sustainable fashion powerhouse Stella McCartney continues to plunge the sustainable narrative forward with the launch of Mylo, a plant-based leather made in collaboration with Bolt Threads. While synthetic leather is no new construction, a non polyester-based textile that is fully biodegradable could be the eco-conscious, game-changing leather that the fashion industry has been searching for.

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This recent release is an unsurprising move for McCartney, a life-long vegetarian who admitted in an interview with Vogue that her previous faux leather was not sustainable enough for her liking. Mylo is crafted from mycelium, an infinitely renewable underground root system of fungi, making for a surprisingly soft material that is now available in a variety of textures ranging from pebbled to ultra-pliable. The concept of the material’s makeup is one that many brands have been trying to emulate, such as hype Instagram brand Pangaia and their grape “leather” sneakers, crafted using grape skins leftover from the wine industry.

Paris Jackson wearing Stella McCartney x Mylo

Paris Jackson wearing Stella McCartney x Mylo

McCartney has released two products for the first ready-to-wear collection, demonstrating the potential of the material with a jet-black bustier alongside matching panelled utility pants, stitched together with recycled nylon scuba material at the brand’s atelier in London. The campaign was fronted by Paris Jackson, who illustrated the chic wearability of the products in a series of candid shots that juxtapose the grungy leather pieces with the sun-drenched outdoors, paying direct homage to the material’s very makeup.

Speaking to US Vogue, McCartney declared, “This is the future of fashion. If we can get this right, then we can really make a huge impact on the planet.”