The German sportswear manufacturer, Adidas, has introduced a new mushroom-based sneaker. Stan Smith Mylo, the first shoe made with Mylo, a revolutionary mushroom-based content breakthrough that looks and feels like leather – comfortable and supple, but a more renewable option.

Mylo is made from sustainable mycelium, the underground roots of mushrooms, and is grown in a highly efficient two-week process. The method makes use of a cutting-edge vertical agriculture technique, which allows the mycelium to be grown in a space-saving system with a higher yield per square foot.

The concept shoe is the culmination of Adidas’s research into making footwear that is genuinely Made with Nature, and it contributes to their commitment to the Regenerative Loop development process, through which goods are made with nature.

Mylo is used to building the outer upper, perforated 3 stripes, heel tab overlay, and premium branding. The shoe's midsole is made of natural rubber.

The global head of Future at Adidas, Amy Jones Vaterlaus said that Mylo's launch as a new commodity is a significant move forward in their ambitious goal of helping to eliminate plastic waste. As a world, they must learn to work with nature rather than against it and devote all of their energy to developing innovative solutions that are safely made with renewable resources. Designed to work in harmony with the earth's ecosystems. They also continue to investigate the possibilities of material innovation as a brand.

The new idea was made possible thanks to a unique and collaborative collaboration with Bolt Threads, a biotechnology company focused on developing the next generation of advanced materials, with a commercially available proof of concept anticipated soon. 

The partnership was founded on a shared vision and a demonstrated dedication to a more sustainable future, as shown by their engagement in material innovation and innovative ways to ensure that the material is environmentally friendly.

VP of product at Bolt Threads, Jamie Bainbridge said that Adidas is showing the far-reaching potential of this revolutionary material by designing the famous Stan Smith with a Mylo material upper. They're thrilled to be collaborating with Adidas on the kind of development collaboration that makes creativity possible. Mylo's strength and consistency are due to the Adidas team's guidance and deep technical experience in creating great footwear.

Mylo material is flexible in that it can take on any color, finish, or emboss, but Adidas’s easy and iconic Stan Smith was selected as the first silhouette to be made from the game-changing new material, further cementing its reputation as one of the company's most sustainable footwear franchises.

Stan Smith Mylo is the next iteration of the famous sneaker, following the release earlier this year of Stan Smith featuring PRIMEGREEN, which featured a 50% recycled upper. With a recent vow of accountability that reflects Adida’s dedication to helping END PLASTIC WASTE, it pays homage to the brand's legacy of making sports shoes.