The CAVAL footwear brand, based in France, has been teasing the launch of a new unisex style of sneaker. The European brand garnered attention in recent years for their mismatched sneakers. However, this time, they are making headlines for a different reason. Their new sneakers are distinct from any other in the brand’s history for one main season: They are made out of apple leather.
To be specific, the newly released shoes, aptly dubbed “The Apple Riders,” are made out of vegan apple leather. Never heard of apple leather? Although vegan leather in various forms has taken off in recent years, apple leather has largely flown under the radar – until now, that is. CAVAL has generated a lot of buzz around the fact that its fruit-based leather was created using apple peel fibres.
The apple vegan leather is officially known as Pellemela and is produced through the reprocessing of fruit juice in the Tyrol region of Italy. This region generates millions of tons of apple waste each year. It is this apple waste that is being used to create the new vegan material CAVAL’s Apple Rider sneakers are made out of.
Beyond the apple leather, which is used for the upper part of the shoe, CAVAL’s Apple Riders also feature coloured inserts made out of recycled polyurethane (PU) from Spain, a rubber sole made out of 40% recycled natural rubber from Portugal, and organic cotton laces from Italy. In essence, the collection is a beautiful marriage of eco-friendly, recycled, and sustainable European materials.
Currently, CAVAL’s vegan apple leather unisex sneakers are available in just four colours. However, the brand has plans to release a fifth colour in September 2020, as part of an exclusive collaboration with Paris department store Le Bon Marché.
Overall, CAVAL’s first foray into the world of apple peel leather is sure to inspire other fashion brands to follow suit. Tommy Hilfiger also made waves when they launched two sneaker styles, partly made out of recycled apple fibres this past March. This eco-friendly and cruelty-free alternative to traditional leather will only rise in prominence from here on out.
The new sneakers are currently available online at a retail price of €139.
