Native Plant Shoe
Climate change is now rearing its ugly head as the consequence of man’s foolish actions. In fact, experts claim that it’s already too late to mitigate the effect it has on global temperature. The only thing we can do now is to reduce emissions in order to slow down the process. Thankfully, carmakers are in the process of switching over to electric vehicles. Meanwhile, other manufacturers also need to start working with sustainable materials to reduce non-biodegradable wastes. It’s comforting to know that there are upcoming products that will be fully-recyclable or in the case of the Native Plant Shoe, biodegradable.
What this means is that we won’t be seeing these kicks piling up in landfills or floating about in the ocean. Among sports apparel companies, Adidas is spearheading efforts to produce footwear that use plastic waste. Its most notable creations include the Futurecraft Loop as well as a collaboration with Parley for the Oceans for the Alphaedge 4D and Tour360 XT. The latter two reportedly make us of ocean plastic to craft its comfortable uppers. Meanwhile, the Plant Shoe boasts an even better solution using a zero-waste concept for its products.
The brand claims that its kicks are 100 percent plant-based and 100 percent biodegradable. Therefore, let’s break down each of its components to see where the magic happens. The lasting board uses eucalyptus pulp, while the midsole is a combination of sisal and cork. For the insoles, its a mix of cotton, linen, kenaf, and corn felt. The uppers are a combination of cotton and pineapple fibers. Next is the durable outsoles that use hevea milk to create an additive-free latex. Finally, the laces are made of cotton, which makes the Native Plan Shoe a stellar example of sustainability.
Images courtesy of Native