MIRUM®: Our new plastic-free, regenerative animal leather alternative
Making fashion history again, we are partnering with Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) to develop MIRUM® – a biobased vegan alternative to animal leather made from plants, not plastic. Layered on a regenerative cotton backing, it is crafted with nature in mind.
We have always looked to the future of fashion, pioneering the ways we produce our collections to protect Mother Earth, as well as the animals and people we share her with. Since day one, we have never used leather, feathers, fur or skins in our products. We are continually searching, innovating and collaborating with partners like NFW to create the next generation of luxury vegan materials.
Supported by our Stella McCartney SOS Fund, MIRUM® is the first scalable, 100% plastic-free, fossil fuel- and water-free alternative to animal leather. We are the first luxury fashion house to invest in this biobased fabric, committing to 10,000 sq. ft of material. Layered on an organic cotton or regenerative cotton backing, it continues our mission to develop material innovations that are not only cruelty-free, but positively impact the environment.
Plants, Not Plastic®
Produced in California, MIRUM® is an innovative alternative to animal leather consciously crafted from a combination of virgin natural materials and upcycled agricultural side-streams. It has a carbon footprint that is at least 10 times lower than conventional leather and synthetic alternatives and requires no tanning. At the end of its life, it can be safely returned to the planet as nutrients – not pollutants.
Using Climate Beneficial™ cotton from C4, a Fibershed project, our MIRUM® is the most data-based, traceable and low-carbon MIRUM® ever made. It goes beyond our recycled synthetics efforts and its craftsmanship prioritises local communities and environments by only utilising natural, local ingredients – in turn enhancing biodiversity and regenerating soil systems in the area.
Since I launched Stella in 2001, I have dreamed of a vegan alternative to leather that is indistinguishable from animal products and fully plant based. Created in harmony with Mother Earth, MIRUM® is that vision brought to life. Alongside my SOS Fund, my hope is we can bring this incredible material innovation to an industry-wide scale and inspire other fashion houses to join our conscious luxury movement; one that crafts beautiful, desirable products that do not harm the planet or our fellow creatures.
The regenerative cotton used as a backing drives MIRUM®’s carbon footprint ever lower. The regenerative sourcing method sets an even higher standard of responsibility for leather alternatives. As a member of C4, NFW work directly with farmers in California, supporting their transition to agricultural practices that regenerate soil health and draw down carbon.
This ‘Plants, Not Plastic®’ approach to innovating materials helps to build a regenerative supply chain, sparking a critically important shift in land stewardship, labour transparency and the fashion industry’s role in the climate change crisis. By investing in MIRUM®, we hope to inspire others to also pursue cruelty-free, responsible production and consumption models.
The partnership allows for transparency in the supply chain with a 100% locally produced Climate Beneficial™ cotton and for NFW to deliver a product that sets a new sustainability standard towards reversing climate change.
We will be using MIRUM® at Stella McCartney in two ways from Winter 2023:
MIRUM® with organic cotton backing
The water-free and plastic-free MIRUM® will be layered on an organic cotton backing and is USDA-certified bio-based and plastic-free. Crafted with plant-based resin, this MIRUM® is incredibly durable and is water-resistant. We will be able to verify our impacts through robust certification and primary data.
MIRUM® with C4 backing (California Cotton & Climate Coalition)
This MIRUM® is crafted with a Californian regenerative cotton backing, traceable to farm level and supported by the California Cotton & Climate Coalition. Entirely bio-based, plastic-free and regenerative, the regenerative cotton used consumes less water than industrial methods. It goes a step beyond organic cotton’s benefits by restoring critical habitats on Mother Earth, benefitting biodiversity and improving soil health.