Sneaker brands are turning to unconventional materials, from mattresses to electronic cables, to help reduce the mountains of waste piling up around the world
The textile industry, which includes clothing and footwear, is estimated to be responsible for generating four billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, according to data published by France’s Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME). It could even be responsible for more than a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 if no action is taken by the main players in the sector.
Clearly, the entire industry needs to mobilise to change the situation by, for example, introducing more eco-responsible materials, making manufacturing processes more ethical, or democratising services and practices that encourage waste reduction. This includes upcycling, the art of repurposing materials and objects destined for the trash, which is steadily gaining ground in the fashion world.
This is being seen in sneakers, which are being now made from totally unexpected materials, from mattresses to electronic cables to subway seats, to help reduce the mountains of waste that pollute soils and oceans around the world.
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From mattresses to ‘caviar leather’
Eco-responsibility and upcycling are the core values of a new sneaker brand called La Bise à Denise, created by Jonathan Maret and Christophe Segura, two designers based in Perpignan, France. The idea is to combine art, sustainability and eco-design, without ever compromising on style and comfort.
This is achieved through upcycling, with every material used in the design of the sneakers otherwise destined for destruction or abandonment. This is the case for the leather scraps that come from several tanneries and make up the bulk of the sneaker uppers, but also for fish leather—salmon, trout, sturgeon—derived exclusively from skins destined to be discarded.
The sturgeon leather used in the brand’s “Galathéa” sneaker uppers, for example, comes from companies producing French caviar. This leather is repurposed so that it doesn’t end up in the trash.