Mirum

Textures of Mirum / Source: Natural Fiber Welding

CompostableCorkLeatherLow-CarbonMirumNorth AmericaRecyclableRubberTextilesUpcycled

WHAT WE SAY:

We see a lot of well-intended innovators who are not actually fixing the root cause of the plastic crisis, but giving polluters a fig leaf bandaid.

Where most alt-leathers require plastic-based binders or coatings to achieve the required durability, Mirum’s plant-based ingredients mean it is fully circular and bio-neutral. At the end of its life, it can either be remade or return as nutrients back to nature. It isn’t stuck in the pilot stage either, as brands such as Pangaia, Camper and H&M already have Mirum-based products in-market, and Natural Fiber Welding has now raised over USD 150 million to scale rapidly. May others follow fast in these new tracks.

Mirum

WHAT IS MIRUM?

The maker of Mirum, Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), reinvents not only the future of materials but the very language of materials.
The company takes nutrients, bakes and forms them into something usable. Crucially they do not chemically modify these nutrients through a low-energy, low-impact process, so they can go back to nature as nutrients.
Mirum is a leather-like plant-based material produced for footwear, fashion, automotive and accessories.
It is made from plant matter, such as natural Rubber, corn and rice husk, and from upcycled agricultural sidestreams, for example coir (a coconut oil byproduct) and cork powder (a wine Cork byproduct).
Unlike many alt-leathers, Mirum is totally plastic-free, with no synthetic elements used to bind or coat the material - meaning Mirum has received the USDA 100% biobased certification.
As a result, Mirum is fully circular: with scraps, dead stocks and worn-out products able to be remanufactured into new Mirum, or if discarded it would (eventually) biodegrade benignly.
Since launching at the 2019 London Fashion Week 2019, Mirum has released retail products with brand partners, including Pangaia, Bellroy, Camper, H&M and others.
In early 2023, NFW expanded its Mirum colour-range with four new hues - Slate, Moss, Carbon and Clay, bringing the material's Signature Collection tonal range to 12.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Compostable
Low-Carbon
Recyclable
Upcycled

INDUSTRY:

Textiles

AVAILABILITY:

Commercially Available

DIVE DEEPER:

The Primary Collection of Mirum is available in four varieties: corn, rice, coconut and cork – each with its own texture and hue. As part of the Signature Collection, designers can choose from black, tan or white colours. They can also collaborate with NFW for specific aesthetic and functional needs such as shine, texture, grain, scent, temper, thickness, and fabric backers.
Using a patented process at each stage, ingredients are dry-mixed without the need for additional water and mechanically combined and shaped into sheets, with no effluent discharge generated. A custom texture is then embossed on the surface and optional cotton fabric backer added without the use of petrochemical adhesives.
The material is ‘baked’ using a patented plant-based curative. NFW claims this curative is unique in not requiring petrochemical additives or sulfur chemistry (which results in an irreversible reaction), unlocking Mirum’s circular properties.
Given its positioning as a leather alternative, NFW does not label Mirum biodegradable, as it does not break down fast enough to satisfy the regulatory requirements in certain key markets (such as California). However, it is the most natural alt-leather we have found and its lack of toxicity sets the gold standard.
Leather is carbon intensive. Production of one square metre of animal leather emits eight to 29 kilograms CO2e of greenhouse gasses, while synthetic leather alternatives can produce seven to 16 kilograms.
In May 2022, NFW reported that its first LCA for Mirum showed that its CO2 footprint of 0.8-2.1 kilograms CO2e (depending on the backing used) was between three and 10 times lower, due to its natural inputs and waterless and dye-and tanning-free production.
In 2021, NFW extended its Mirum production space by 110,000 square feet, with the goal of producing tens of millions of square feet of material every year.
The company has raised over USD 150 million in total, including from BMW i Ventures, Allbirds, Ralph Lauren. It has also struck partnerships with Patagonia and Richemont.
Ralph Lauren collaborated with NFW to produce the official Team USA Closing Ceremony Parade Uniforms at the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, with the Olympic back patch on the denim pants made from Mirum.
Mirum has also been deployed by other top fashion brands, including Alexander McQueen (MCQ), Pangaia, Bellroy, H&M and Camper.
In February 2023, NFW launched a partnership with Austrian fibre producer Lenzing Group to offer Tencel-branded fibres as another backer option for Mirum. The first in-market use of this material collaboration is in Allbird's Plant Pacer sneaker.

Designing with Mirum / Source: Natural Fiber Welding

Various shades of Mirum / Source: Mike Firman & Natural Fiber Welding

KEY FACTS:

2.1kg

Mirum produces a maximum of 2.1kg of CO2e per 1kg of material, compared to animal-leather at 29 kg per square metre.

$150 million

Natural Fiber Welding has raised $150 million in total.

Key Questions to Ask:

Can you get access to Mirum?

While the volume of retail products made with Mirum is far greater than many of the materials we feature here, NFW is still scaling its production capabilities and is reporting extensive waiting lists. In the longer term, however, the company is bullish on its ability to scale, given the sheer volume and accessibility of suitable biomass available.

How can you leverage the material’s circularity?

While the company states Mirum is bio-neutral and so will degrade benignly, given its durability, the preferred option would be to encourage the return of worn out or unused material to manufacture more Mirum. Can you collaborate with NFW to offer a buyback or returns scheme, similar to those offered by electrical goods manufacturers?

How will you design for circularity and recyclability?

If Mirum is sewn to other synthetic fabrics or is embellished with metal fastenings, then its recovery may be unviable. Metals can take up to half a millennium to decompose. Solutions may include NFW removing Mirum from finished products before recycling it or, better still, full design for sustainability. This could include combining Mirum with NFW’s own synthetic-free Clarus material platform, which features natural materials, such as Cotton, Hemp and Wool.

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Mirum

WHAT WE SAY:

We see a lot of well-intended innovators who are not actually fixing the root cause of the plastic crisis, but giving polluters a fig leaf bandaid.

WHAT IS MIRUM?

KEY PROPERTIES:

INDUSTRY:

AVAILABILITY:

Commercially Available

DIVE DEEPER:

The material is ‘baked’ using a patented plant-based curative. NFW claims this curative is unique in not requiring petrochemical additives or sulfur chemistry (which results in an irreversible reaction), unlocking Mirum’s circular properties.

Leather is carbon intensive. Production of one square metre of animal leather emits eight to 29 kilograms CO2e of greenhouse gasses, while synthetic leather alternatives can produce seven to 16 kilograms.

In May 2022, NFW reported that its first LCA for Mirum showed that its CO2 footprint of 0.8-2.1 kilograms CO2e (depending on the backing used) was between three and 10 times lower, due to its natural inputs and waterless and dye-and tanning-free production.

In 2021, NFW extended its Mirum production space by 110,000 square feet, with the goal of producing tens of millions of square feet of material every year.

The company has raised over USD 150 million in total, including from BMW i Ventures, Allbirds, Ralph Lauren. It has also struck partnerships with Patagonia and Richemont.

Ralph Lauren collaborated with NFW to produce the official Team USA Closing Ceremony Parade Uniforms at the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, with the Olympic back patch on the denim pants made from Mirum.

Mirum has also been deployed by other top fashion brands, including Alexander McQueen (MCQ), Pangaia, Bellroy, H&M and Camper.

In February 2023, NFW launched a partnership with Austrian fibre producer Lenzing Group to offer Tencel-branded fibres as another backer option for Mirum. The first in-market use of this material collaboration is in Allbird's Plant Pacer sneaker.

KEY FACTS:

2.1kg

$150 million

Key Questions to Ask:

Can you get access to Mirum?

How can you leverage the material’s circularity?

How will you design for circularity and recyclability?

MEET THE MAKERS:

Natural Fiber Welding

KEY PRODUCTS

LOCATION
North America

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Mirum

WHAT WE SAY:

We see a lot of well-intended innovators who are not actually fixing the root cause of the plastic crisis, but giving polluters a fig leaf bandaid.

WHAT IS MIRUM?

KEY PROPERTIES:

INDUSTRY:

AVAILABILITY:

Commercially Available

DIVE DEEPER:

The material is ‘baked’ using a patented plant-based curative. NFW claims this curative is unique in not requiring petrochemical additives or sulfur chemistry (which results in an irreversible reaction), unlocking Mirum’s circular properties.

Leather is carbon intensive. Production of one square metre of animal leather emits eight to 29 kilograms CO2e of greenhouse gasses, while synthetic leather alternatives can produce seven to 16 kilograms.

In May 2022, NFW reported that its first LCA for Mirum showed that its CO2 footprint of 0.8-2.1 kilograms CO2e (depending on the backing used) was between three and 10 times lower, due to its natural inputs and waterless and dye-and tanning-free production.

In 2021, NFW extended its Mirum production space by 110,000 square feet, with the goal of producing tens of millions of square feet of material every year.

The company has raised over USD 150 million in total, including from BMW i Ventures, Allbirds, Ralph Lauren. It has also struck partnerships with Patagonia and Richemont.

Ralph Lauren collaborated with NFW to produce the official Team USA Closing Ceremony Parade Uniforms at the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, with the Olympic back patch on the denim pants made from Mirum.

Mirum has also been deployed by other top fashion brands, including Alexander McQueen (MCQ), Pangaia, Bellroy, H&M and Camper.

In February 2023, NFW launched a partnership with Austrian fibre producer Lenzing Group to offer Tencel-branded fibres as another backer option for Mirum. The first in-market use of this material collaboration is in Allbird's Plant Pacer sneaker.

KEY FACTS:

2.1kg

$150 million

Key Questions to Ask:

Can you get access to Mirum?

How can you leverage the material’s circularity?

How will you design for circularity and recyclability?

MEET THE MAKERS:

Natural Fiber Welding

KEY PRODUCTS

LOCATION North America

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LOCATION
North America