Indonesia’s PALA Nusantara’s watches come across as edgy fashion products with strong Japanese aesthetics. However, the watches are also claimed to be eco-friendly.
Ashni Sastrosubroto of PALA Nusantara: “We do claim our products as the first eco-friendly watch in the world because aside from its machine, the materials are very environmentally friendly and can be naturally decomposed.”
As one of the 24 Indonesian brands selected to showcase their works in the 2019 Maison&Objet exhibition under the IDentities initiative by the Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf), PALA Nusantara brings its newest exotic watch series to display: PALAxMylea. With straps made from mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, the watch offers a vegan-friendly alternative to regular watches.
New York company ecovative in turn makes walls and packaging from mushrooms. Ecovative is a business making compostable packaging from mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, for companies like dell and IKEA.
A third company, Bolt Threads, uses mycelium to create its Mylo "leather". This product has been incorporated into designs by Stella McCartney.
"I've noticed that consumers are now much more interested in seeking out a sustainable alternative," said Jamie Bainbridge, Bolt Threads' head of product development. "The current alternatives to leather, like polyurethane, are very inexpensive. But they are often petroleum-based which, like raising livestock, isn't great for the environment."
Source: thejakartapost.com