Watch: Bolt Threads Is Aiming To Create Sustainable Apparel

Bolt Threads, a biotech company based in Emeryville, CA, creates sustainable materials for the apparel industry. This is an important development, since the apparel industry is the second largest polluter of any industry. Bolt Thread’s first product, Microsilk, is a synthetic spider silk produced without spiders. Yeast genetically engineered with spider DNA produce silk proteins the company then turns into silk strands.

The silk can then be woven into material to be sewn into clothing. Their second product, Mylo, is a synthetic leather derived from mushroom mycelia. That means animal-friendly faux leather that looks like the real thing. The company’s green philosophy has gotten them partnerships with brands like Patagonia, Best Made, and Stella McCartney.