The conventional shoe industry relies heavily on plastics and animal leathers, but the newest focus within the industry is on selecting animal- and Earth-friendly materials to create vegan shoes. One such shoe brand, Undo for Tomorrow, recently released Nuven, a vegan sneaker partially made from recycled party balloons along with other sustainable materials.
Undo for Tomorrow was born in 2018 in Rio de Janeiro and has since moved its home base to Lisbon. However, the company still bases manufacturing in Brazil and works with a fair-trade factory that shares its values. “Our partner is a family-owned factory incredibly strong on environmental responsibilities and human and social rights, with good working conditions and wages. They invest in state-of-the-art machinery and equipment, using only high-quality materials, supplied mostly within the Brazilian domestic market itself.”
The Nuven line of sneakers is gender-neutral and available in four colorways: vanilla rainbow, desert camel, dark gray and black bird. The company describes the sneakers as lightweight yet durable for a long lifecycle. From the inside out, the shoes are vegan, incorporating recycled and natural materials with a weatherproof coating to keep feet dry in all types of weather.
The inner lining is made from fast-growing and sustainable bamboo fibers. Because bamboo is naturally antibacterial, it fights odors while absorbing moisture. The insole is made using castor oil, a natural oil extracted from seeds as an alternative to petroleum. Castor oil is also biodegradable, unlike plasticalternatives.
Nuven’s uppers are made out of vegan suede, which is created from recycled plastic bottles. For the bottom of the shoe, the midsole is made up of partially recycled “smoothfoam” that offers cushion, flexibility and support. Finally, the outsole is constructed using discarded party balloons and leftover tire pieces. This combination offers a slip-resistant and colorful sole.
The Nuven line launched via crowdsourcing and was fully funded shortly after debuting on IndieGogo. The timeline on the campaign shows an expected manufacturing date in June with the first customer shipments in August 2021.
So iLL, Inc., launched in 2019, has developed a product line of bags, shoes, shirts and face masks, all with attention to recycled and natural materials. The brand is gaining attention with its new collection of vegan shoes in partnership with actor Jason Momoa.
Momoa and So iLL founder Daniel Chancellor were introduced through a mutual friend in Los Angeles and quickly found they shared a passion for climbing. With a respect for So iLL and a desire to collaborate on a line of outdoor products, a partnership was born.
The collection includes shoes that honor Momoa’s passion for climbing, which he credits for guiding his life, saying, “Climbing found me, it blessed me, and I fell in love with it.” The On the Roam Momoa Pro and Momoa Pro LV climbing shoes are ready for ascent with a lightweight design, fabric-fastener closure and a notable nod to Momoa’s niho mano, a traditional triangular patterned tattoo that resembles shark teeth.
Also part of the On the Roam Collection is the Yaya Lavender Roamer and Unity Purple Roamer, both made using 100% organic cotton for the canvas upper and 30% BLOOM Resin for the insole. BLOOM technology is a plant-based material that removes algae blooms from the water, reducing water pollution. It’s an alternative to conventional petroleum-based foams used in most shoes. The Roamers include a top layer of cork and a rubber outsole that doesn’t require sacrificing any trees. The rubber is mixed with Eco Pure, another product that helps cut down on decomposition time in a landfill, eliminating the slow degradation connected with petroleum-based shoes that take generations to break down.
The team also makes a canvas-like sneaker that comes in Eco Camo, Pounamu Green, Dirty Pink and Black Wolf color and pattern options. These lightweight shoes feature a material made with 20% recycled plastic, in addition to the plant-based materials found in the Roamer.
Another option in the On the Roam collection is the Kanaka Sandal, featuring the pattern honoring Momoa’s niho mano on the foot strap. Face masks are available in three fabric color options, and they incorporate 65% recycled polyester and 35% organic cotton made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.
A selection of dirt bags round out the collection with the Eco Camo Dirt Bag including a canvas-like material made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles. The entire line is vegan.
Nuven vegan sneakers are made of recycled balloons [Inhabitat]