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Spotted: The cultivation and processing of palm oil, which is used in a huge variety of commercial foods, is extremely damaging to the environment and linked to mass deforestation. Indonesia is the world’s largest exporter of palm oil. A common practice there is burning the palm fibre and shells leftover from palm oil production. This creates severe air pollution that threatens the health and lives of people in nearby communities.

Now, startup and certified B Corp MYCL is using palm oil waste to grow a sustainable leather alternative, eliminating the need for toxic chemicals that are used in traditional leather production. And, by purchasing palm waste, the company both prevents it from being burnt and gives farmers an added source of income.

MYCL’s process uses mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi, to transform the crop waste into fine substrate sheets. These are then processed using innovative bio-engineering techniques to produce MYLEA, a leather-like material. The company grows its product in small labs near the source of crop waste, minimising emissions from transportation. The MYLEA can be grown on a variety of crop wastes, including rice and cocoa, making the solution scalable.

MYCL is a finalist for the 2024 Earthshot Prize in the ‘Clean Our Air’ category. The company aims to work with 500 farmers this year, and is also collaborating with various fashion designers and even a car manufacturer to help turn MYLEA into beautiful new items. In one collaboration, MYCL partnered with ōd architecture studio to launch the Shrüm stool, which is made with MYLEA leather.

Written By: Lisa Magloff