MIRUM®
MIRUM® is a customizable circular material used to produce soft goods for the fashion, automotive, technology and upholstery industries.
The leather-like material is made with 100% biobased ingredients and, therefore, 100% recyclable. Compared to animal and synthetic leather, MIRUM® is considerably less resource-intensive to produce.
The company, Natural Fiber Welding, is committed to performing strict life cycle assessment (LCA) processes). During dyeing and manufacturing, MIRUM® requires no additional water other than the water the raw materials contain.
It is recyclable and can return to the earth at the end of its lifecycle.
Production Process
Material Selection
The company uses different plant inputs to obtain the desired characteristics. Examples of these inputs are coconut husk fibres—a by-product of producing coconut water and oil— and natural rubber and cork, which is a by-product of making wine stoppers. NFW uses Forest Stewardship Council-certified ingredients when inputs come from a managed forest.
Mix and Form
The selected materials are then dry-mixed and formed mechanically into the desired shape. Additional water input is not required. That means no wastewater discharge is caused by making MIRUM®.
Finish and Cure
For the final touch, the surface of the MIRUM® sheet can be embossed with a texture that can be combined with an optional natural fabric backer.
Material Properties
Long-lasting and durable
MIRUM® outperforms several performance metrics, ranging from mechanical to chemical properties (e.g., toughness while water-resistant).
Tunable
MIRUM® can be tailored to meet specific aesthetic and performance needs.
Scalable
Made with abundant plant matter and upcycled agricultural sidestreams, the material is designed to scale.
Circular Features
- Renewable
- Zero Plastics
- Low Carbon Footprint
- All-Natural
Raw Materials
- Recycled agricultural by-products
- Upcycled agricultural sidestreams
Afterlife
- Recyclable (can be recycled into new MIRUM or sliced and returned to the earth)