Wednesday 22 March 2023

Strutting your stuff in net zero shoes?

Allbirds claims it has made a net zero shoe, following a seven-year process.

The shoe company was formed in 2016, flying the flag of sustainability – and now states that its latest pair of kicks have a net footprint of zero kilograms of carbon.

The San Francisco-based brand has revealed that offsetting has not been the answer to this continued journey – with three ‘carbon-negative’ materials used to make the footwear.

These are bioplastic made from methane by a US-based startup, a thermoplastic replacement made from sugarcane and wool that is regeneratively farmed.

Allbirds alleges that the net zero title can be given to these shoes, as all the carbon sequestered in production balances the transportation, use and end of life.

The first glimpse of the ‘M0.0nshot’ trainers will be at a fashion summit this June, with commercial release expected in 2024.

Hana Kajimura, Head of Sustainability at Allbirds, said: “We believe this will revolutionise the path to net zero and act as rocket-fuel for the entire industry. We could spend decades debating the finer points of carbon sequestration, or we can innovate today with a common-sense approach. It’s about progress, not perfection.”