NEW SNEAKERS THAT DECOMPOSE ARE MADE OF PLANTS & MINERALS
Unless Collective, in collaboration with plant-based material innovation company Natural Fiber Welding, has released the world’s first sneakers that decompose (NFW).
Degenerate is the name of the line.
The Unless Degenerate is made of 100% plants and minerals with no plastic and is designed to decompose harmlessly at the end of its life to give birth to something entirely new.
THE SNEAKERS: The Unless Degenerate is the first product to incorporate all of NFW’s groundbreaking plant-based material technologies that are both durable enough for outsoles and soft enough for cushioning goals.
The Degenerate features low-impact textiles such as linen, cotton embroidered lace tips, coconut husk, tencel, and thread, as well as NFW’s Pliant for the outsole, Tunera foam for the internal midsole, Clarus for the vamp and quarter, and Mirum for the eyelet and mudguard.
Everything about this regenerative sneaker is made of plants and minerals, from plant-based leather to the natural rubber outsole to the tips of the laces.
The skate-inspired statement sneaker is long-lasting and comfortable, and it contains no plastic or petrochemicals, unlike conventional sustainable footwear.
The Degenerate is built with a clean, stripped-down upper and a deep cup-sole to create a strong, simple silhouette inspired by Unless’s birthplace: the Pacific Northwest.
The Unless Degenerate is available for $139 at unlesscollective.com in off-white and black colorways.
The first run of this limited-edition sneaker is expected to sell out quickly; customers can sign up for the unlesscollective.com email list to be notified of future restocks.
BEING RESPONSIBLE: Unless is taking responsibility for everything it produces and ensuring that all of its products can be repaired, recycled, or decomposed in a harmless manner at the end of their useful life.
TACKLING A PROBLEM: The Degenerate is Unless’s latest offering, designed to address the issue of plastic waste in the fashion industry.
Every year, more than 24 billion pairs of shoes are produced, with 300 million pairs being discarded.
The vast majority of shoes are made of plastics and other petrochemicals, which degrade into harmful micro-plastics that end up in our rivers and oceans, food, and even our bodies.