The much-awaited Lululemon Mushroom Leather capsule collection is here to change the way athletic and apparel brands approach sustainability.
Last year, the Vancouver-based athletic brand joined hands with brands like Stella McCartney, Adidas, and Kering to become a consortium partner for Mylo Mushroom Leather. This year, the company has launched its first Mushroom Leather collection designed with Mylo material, fulfilling its commitment to sustainable fashion.
What is Mylo?
Mylo is an alternative leather created from mycelium, the vegetative part of a mushroom. It is a product of material experts and scientists at Bolt threads. According to the company’s website, mycelium is an organic matter that grows underneath the soil and spreads out in a branch-like pattern delivering nutrients to the plants. The company used this renewable material to engineer leather that resembles and functions like real leather so the consumers can enjoy the beauty of leather without any environmental damage.
Lululemon’s Mushroom Leather Yoga collection
The collection features a concept yoga mat and two bags designed with Mylo material. The new mat takes its inspiration from the company’s previous invention, the Take form yoga mat. The new Mylo mat experiments with patterns that could complement the body’s balance during a yoga practice.
The yoga accessories include the Mylo duffle bag and the meditation and yoga mat bag. The Mylo material can be observed in the accessories’ braided pulls and handles. It gives an instant premium feel and look to the collection.
The collection comes from Lululemon’s Accessories Design team and incorporates the company’s “Science of Feel” approach to create a heightened sensory experience for the users. Using Mylo is part of Lululemon’s sustainability goals that seek to replace conventional materials with sustainable materials by at least 75%.
In a statement, Sun Choe, chief product officer at the company, addressed Lululemon’s committeemen to sustainability practices stating: “As a premium athletic brand, having innovative and proprietary fabrics and other materials that help guests feel their best to perform their best is something we’re proud of. Sustainable innovation will continue to play a key role in the future of retail and product, and for us, leveraging a material like Mylo demonstrates our commitment to creating a healthier environment through lower-impact products, while also giving us the ability to reimagine iconic pieces in our line through a sustainability lens.”
In addition to introducing drastic changes to its manufacturing materials, Lululemon has previously launched two other sustainability initiatives: Lululemon Like New and Earth Dye.
With Lululemon Like New, the company seeks to allow its customers to trade their lightly used Lululemon clothing for an e-gift card. The company plans on reinvesting the profits acquired from this initiative into its sustainability endeavors. Whereas, with Earth Dye, the company aims to replace conventional manufacturing materials with solution-dyed nylons, recycled polyester, and Forest Stewardship Council certified rubber.
The company’s recent revenue is reportedly around $1.2 billion. And it seems that with its growing popularity and commitment to change, Lululemon is pushing athletic wear towards the circular economy.
The Lululemon Mushroom Leather collection will be available in early 2022.