Materials innovation startup Bolt Threads introduced its second biomaterial today – a leather made from mycelium, the roots of a mushroom. Mycelium is the underground root structure of mushrooms. It grows as tiny threads that form vast networks under the forest floor.
We developed Mylo™ from mycelium cells by creating optimal growing conditions for it to self-assemble into a supple, sustainable material that looks and feels remarkably like animal leather. Mylo™ can be produced in days versus years, without the material waste of using animal hides.
Over 10 days mycelium cells grow into the substrate, creating an interconnected mass that can be made into almost any size. The result is a material that looks and feels remarkably like animal leather. We call it Mylo and it is#BoltsNextBigThing
