Pangaia partners with Ecovative to bring mycelium foam to fashion industry

Innovation-based fashion brand Pangaia has taken a new step in sustainable production with the announcement of a joint research collaboration with mycelium tech company Ecovative and sustainable footwear label Vivobarefoot.

Joining the Fashion for Good Cooperative, an Amsterdam-based eco-initiative, the trio will work together to co-develop custom mycelium materials to be used in each of the brand’s footwear and fashion products.

Ecovative’s mycelium foam comes as an eco-friendly and accessible material alternative, sustainably grown to replace plastic, styrofoam and leather. The team will continue to develop a line of fungus-based, petroleum-free foams and hides for products, with the hope to eventually offer a scalable solution for wearable goods.

In a release, Ecovative’s co-founder and chief business officer, Gavin McIntyre, said: “For more than a decade, our team has been working to develop bio-based alternatives that perform at the same level as conventional foams and leathers. We are thrilled to work with Vivobarefoot, a company with sustainability at its core, to bring next-gen materials to the footwear industry.”

The footwear brand and Pangaia will be joining the likes of Bestseller and PVH Corp, who are already long-term members of the Fashion for Good programme and partners with Ecovative.