The Future of Fashion – Made from Mushrooms | Dan Widmaier | TED

Summary

In this inspiring talk, a chemistry PhD shares his unexpected journey into fashion, highlighting the industry's sustainability crisis. He introduces Mylo, a sustainable material made from mycelium, which mimics leather's strength and flexibility. The speaker discusses the creation of the Mylo Consortium, uniting major fashion brands to accelerate the adoption of sustainable materials. Mylo's commercial viability is demonstrated through its integration into products by Stella McCartney, Adidas, and others, showing fashion's potential to lead in sustainable practices.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker, a PhD in chemistry and chemical biology, unexpectedly found a passion for fashion and its sustainability issues.
• 👗 Fashion is a significant contributor to environmental challenges, producing over 100 billion items annually.
• 🌿 The speaker believes sustainability in fashion can be achieved not by changing consumer behavior but by innovating sustainable materials.
• 🕸️ The speaker's company developed a material called Mylo, made from mycelium, which mimics the properties of leather but is more sustainable.
• 🐄 Traditional leather production is linked to cattle farming, which has a substantial environmental impact.
• 🍄 Mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, has a microstructure similar to collagen in leather, making it a promising alternative.
• 🏭 Mylo is produced in a controlled environment using agricultural waste, showcasing a circular economy approach.
• 🌱 The fashion industry's adoption of Mylo is a significant step towards sustainable materials, with major brands like Stella McCartney and Adidas incorporating it into their products.
• 💡 The Mylo Consortium, a collaboration of fashion brands, demonstrates the industry's potential to work together for sustainable solutions.
• 🌟 The speaker envisions a future where fashion leads the way in sustainability, using nature's innovations to create beautiful and eco-friendly products.

Q & A

What is the speaker's background and why is he discussing fashion?

The speaker has a PhD in chemistry and chemical biology but has unexpectedly developed a passion for fashion. He discusses fashion because of its significant role in sustainability and his belief that scientific innovation can make it more sustainable.

What is the 'sustainability crisis' in the fashion industry?

The sustainability crisis in fashion refers to the industry's environmental impact due to the production of over 100 billion items per year, which contributes to pollution, resource depletion, and other environmental issues.

Why does the speaker believe that simply consuming less is not a sufficient solution to the sustainability crisis in fashion?

The speaker believes that consuming less is not enough because fashion is deeply ingrained in human nature, serving as a form of self-expression, creativity, and confidence. It satisfies our innate desire for novelty and acquisition.

What is the significance of the two wallets the speaker mentions?

The two wallets represent a comparison between traditional leather and a sustainable alternative made from mushrooms. The speaker challenges the audience to distinguish between them, highlighting the potential for sustainable materials to mimic the qualities of traditional materials without the environmental impact.

What is the main difference between traditional materials like leather and the new material Mylo?

Traditional materials like leather have a significant environmental footprint due to their production processes, while Mylo is a sustainable alternative made from mycelium, which requires less land and resources to produce.

How does the speaker's company recreate the properties of leather using mycelium?

The company grows mycelium in trays, feeding it sawdust, and then harvests it to create a material with a microstructure similar to collagen in cowhide, which gives leather its strength and flexibility.

What is the Mylo Consortium and why was it created?

The Mylo Consortium is a collaboration between various fashion brands aimed at accelerating the adoption of sustainable materials like Mylo. It was created because the speaker recognized that no single entity could solve the sustainability crisis alone and that collaboration was necessary to drive change quickly.

How does the speaker's journey with Mylo serve as a blueprint for other sustainable material innovations?

The speaker's journey with Mylo demonstrates how to identify a sustainable alternative to a widely used material, develop it at scale, and collaborate with industry leaders to integrate it into the market, providing a model for other sustainable material innovations.

What are some of the fashion brands involved in the Mylo Consortium and how are they supporting Mylo?

The Mylo Consortium includes brands like Stella McCartney, lululemon, Kering, and Adidas. They support Mylo by incorporating it into their products, such as yoga accessories, handbags, and iconic shoe designs, helping to validate and promote the material's viability.

What is the significance of Mylo being commercially viable at a price comparable to premium calf leather?

Mylo being commercially viable at a price similar to premium calf leather is significant because it shows that sustainable materials can compete with traditional materials in terms of cost and quality, making them a realistic option for the fashion industry.

How does the speaker envision the future of fashion contributing to a more sustainable world?

The speaker envisions a future where fashion not only serves as a form of self-expression but also actively contributes to environmental sustainability by using innovative, sustainable materials that have a lower environmental impact than traditional materials.