Cult yoga gear brand lululemon is planning to launch a line of yoga accessories made using Mylo, a vegan leather made entirely from mushrooms. The collection will feature a yoga mat, a yoga bag and a duffle bag. 

Mylo is incredibly easy and eco-friendly to produce, taking just days to produce. According to developers Bolt Threads, the material is strong, won’t scuff and feels almost exactly like leather. 

The development of Mylo couldn’t have come sooner; the leather industry is damaging to not only animals and human health, but it is extremely damaging to the environment. Pollution generated by the tanning process can make its way into water sources, contaminating it and making it dangerous to drink. Lululemon is part of a group of fashion brands all working to develop products using Mylo, which includes Adidas and Stella McCartney. 

Thankfully, though, more and more brands are working to make the fashion industry more sustainable; after all, it accounts for around 10% of greenhouse gas emissions each year! One way brands are doing this is investing in novel materials. Besides Mylo, other unique sources of vegan leather include tree pulp, grapes, apples, pineapples and kombucha. 

Sadly, we’ll have to wait until early 2022 to get our hands on the products, but that gives us time to make the rest of our wardrobe more sustainable. Check out our guide on the most and least sustainable fabrics! 

The new mushroom-based line is part of lululemon’s efforts to improve its sustainability credentials through the use of environmentally-friendly materials. Other efforts include its resale programme launched earlier this year, which will allow lululemon to save up to 50% of the product’s carbon footprint. 

*banner image credit: Lululemon