5/9/2023

Various brands compete in the production of mushrooms. Do you want to take a look at this new trend?

Recently, Hermès announced a bag made of "mushroom leather," which was initially viewed by netizens as a joke. How could a luxury brand that staunchly supports animal leather suddenly come out with mushroom leather? This seems more like a marketing tactic than a brand's strategic shift. However, when popular mass-market brands such as Lululemon, Adidas, and Allbirds introduced their own "mushroom-based products," netizens began to seriously examine the changes in the fashion industry and shifted their attention to the real hero behind the event: mushrooms.

What is mushroom leather?

Mushroom leather is a leather-like material created by using mycelium, which is generated by fungi attaching to some waste materials such as plastics, cereal debris, and sawdust, and then undergoing a series of special treatments. Therefore, it is more accurately referred to as "mycelium leather."

Hermes' mushroom leather is a special material called "Sylvania," which was developed by biotech company MycoWorks over a period of three years. Its unique fermentation process and compression adjustments make the soft mushroom more durable.

Lululemon uses Mylo material, which was developed by Bolt Technology. Mylo is a patent material made from mycelium and possesses similar texture and feel to leather.

Mushroom leather belongs to the category of Vegan Leather, which refers to leather products without any animal footprints. However, in the context of environmental sustainability, vegan leather mainly refers to plant-based leather, excluding alternative leather products derived from petroleum, such as PU.