Stella McCartney and Bolt Threads Announce a New Partnership Focused on Sustainable Fashion and Luxury Materials Development

Stella McCartney continues the brand’s dedication to fashion eco innovation with the announcement of a new partnership with Bolt Threads, a Bay Area-based biotechnology company creating the next generation of advanced materials. This new collaboration will push boundaries in fabric innovation and usher in the next generation of cutting-edge textiles. Combining Stella McCartney’s relentless pursuit of sustainable materials with Bolt Threads’ proprietary breakthroughs in industrial biotechnology, the partnership represents a step-change for the future of apparel production, and the fashion industry at large.

For decades, the fashion industry has seen little innovation in textiles, and has relied on vast amounts of petrochemicals, which are harmful to the environment. By partnering with Bolt Threads, Stella McCartney takes another step forward in creating a positive environmental impact, and pursues the next chapter of innovation and technology in advanced, luxury materials.

The first physical manifestation of this partnership will be featured in The Museum of Modern Art’s upcoming design exhibition, Items: Is Fashion Modern?, commissioned by MoMA as an interpretation of the traditional shift dress and displayed in the Museum’s galleries from October 1, 2017, through January 28, 2018. The one-of-a-kind, gold dress is custom-knitted and made entirely of Bolt Threads’ signature protein-based yarn inspired by spider silk.

Stella McCartney comments:

‘’On a personal and professional level partnering with Bolt Threads is so exciting, because it feels like everything is finally coming together and the dots are being connected between fashion, sustainability and tech innovation. This is something that I’ve been personally on a journey to find for much of my career and I just feel like there is finally a new opportunity to bring so many industries together and for them to all work as one for a better planet. It is a truly modern and mindful approach to fashion.  The industry has so much heritage, but at times it can be damaging to the environment and it can also drag you in a backwards direction and for me I always want to move forward in fashion and this is truly a moment to celebrate technology and the future of fashion.”

“From the day we founded Bolt Threads, we’ve dreamt of partnering with Stella McCartney,” said Dan Widmaier, CEO of Bolt Threads. “Not only does she have an unparalleled aesthetic, but her values and pioneering sustainable fashion align perfectly with our vision for the future of fashion.”

Bolt Threads engineers fibers from scratch based on proteins found in nature, and then develops cleaner, closed-loop processes for manufacturing, using green chemistry practices. Exemplified in the dress co-created with Stella McCartney, Bolt Threads is able to create silk using yeast, making the textile vegan-friendly; staying true to the designer’s vegetarian philosophy. Solution oriented, this process reduces pollution, creates long-term sustainability, and always remains cruelty-free.

Through this partnership, both Bolt Threads and Stella McCartney pave the way for a future of environmentally friendly luxury fabric innovation. Throughout the remainder of 2017 and beyond, the brands will continue to announce and reveal new initiatives together.

About Bolt Threads:

The material world is about to get a whole new material. Bolt Threads is creating the next generation of performance fibers and fabrics using proprietary breakthroughs in industrial biotechnology. Working at the molecular level, Bolt Threads will transform the textiles market, turning renewable raw materials into products with outstanding properties that meet specific consumer needs. The company announced a sustainable materials development partnership with Patagonia in 2016.  Bolt Threads is based in Emeryville, CA. For additional information, please visit: www.boltthreads.com. 

About Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney is a luxury lifestyle brand that was launched under the designer’s name in 50/50 partnership with Kering in 2001. Stella’s approach to design emphases on sharp tailoring, a natural confidence and an effortlessly sexy style. A lifelong vegetarian, Stella McCartney does not use any leather or fur in her designs.  The brand is committed to ethical values, and believes the company is responsible for the resources it uses and the impact it has on the environment. It is therefore constantly exploring innovative ways to become more sustainable, from design to store practices and product manufacturing. Stella McCartney offers women’s ready-to-wear, menswear, accessories, lingerie, swimwear, kids, fragrance and adidas by Stella McCartney collections through 50 free-standing stores including London, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, Milan and Shanghai. Her collections are distributed in 77 countries through 863 doors including specialty shops, and department stores, as well as shipping to 100 countries online. For additional information, please visit: www.stellamccartney.com.

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