‘First-Ever’ Net-Zero Carbon Sneakers Are About To Step Foot Into The World

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Image via Allbirds

 

With the planet’s current state, brands are trying to pedal forward innovations in a world filled with plastics and swarmed with greenhouse gases. However, as much as some try to develop creations that do not contribute to climate change, achieving a fully net-zero product is still incredibly hard. That is until San Francisco-based footwear retailer Allbirds found a way to make its newest high-top sneakers, the ‘MO.ONSHOT’, and not shell out any environmental damage at any point during the process. In order to achieve this, Allbirds first scoured the globe for materials that fit its goals. That is when it stumbled across regenerative wool from New Zealand on a farm called Lake Hawea Station which used native plantings, ground clearing, and new pasture species. The SuperLight Foam midsole of the shoes are made out of Brazilian-sourced sugarcane and consists of 80% bio content. And Allbirds has not missed a single part of the sneakers as even the eyelets are made from microorganisms that turn methane into a moldable polymer, essentially, carbon-negative biopolymer. Its packaging and bio-fuel delivery process has also been meticulously reworked to ensure the kicks are net-zero.

 

What makes this a “world-first” is that producing a single pair of shoes can create an average of 30 lbs of carbon emissions. With the steps Allbirds is taking, it estimates that the MO.ONSHOT will produce a resounding 0.0 lbs, hence the name. Besides a teaser image of the back of the shoes, there is no word on how they will look, but they will be ready for release in Spring 2024. Until then, we could be on the precipice of an exciting time in eco-friendly innovation.   [via HiConsumption and Gear Patrol, cover image via Allbirds]