American fashion brand Everlane has launched sneakers made from leather, recycled rubber and plastic bottles that it claims are completely carbon neutral.
The unisex trainers, called Tread by Everlane, feature soles made of a mixture of natural and recycled rubber, while the uppers are made of leather from "the world's cleanest tannery". The laces and lining are made from recycled plastic bottles.
Everlane said it wanted the product to be "the world's most sustainable sneakers".
Tread by Everlane are sneakers made from leather, recycled rubber and plastic bottles
"We're starting with a leather trainer that's the lowest impact of its kind," said Michael Preysman, Everlane founder and CEO, adding that the shoes are "made with less waste and almost no virgin plastic". Everlane previously stated it would never make trainers, claiming they are "a disaster for the planet".
"Of everything we wear, sneakers have one of the heaviest footprints," the brand said. "They require a ton of energy to produce, are made largely from virgin plastic, and never break down."
Everlane sourced the leather for the uppers from the "world's cleanest tannery"
The brand chose low-impact materials for the components of its sneakers, and offset the carbon emissions for each pair to justify its carbon-neutral claim.
"Tread by Everlane is doing things differently, starting with the raw materials," it said.
Everlane so...