Unfortunately, materials such as rubber, plastics, and other petrochemical-derived materials are used to create the majority of conventional shoes.
Seeking to set a new standard and offer sustainable fashion without compromising on style, Paris-based footwear company MoEa founded by Achille Gazagnes, Benoit Habfast and Simon de Swarte has created a vegan sneaker that is made of biomaterials derived from fruits and plants.
Specifically, the sneaker’s outer is plant-based leather. In addition, the sneaker features organic cotton laces, recycled rubber sole, recycled wood fibre insole, recycled bamboo inner lining, and water-based glue.
MoEa says that their sneaker is made to last and is just as robust as leather but without the environmental drawbacks.
MoEa’s sneaker is available in five colours: apple red, black and white grape, green cactus, yellow pineapple, and beige corn. There is also a special all-in-one pear that sports all of the available colours combined.
On top of it all, old MoEa sneakers can be returned and recycled into new soles. According to MoEa, recycling will save up to 40% of rubber in each pair of soles. As an incentive, customers who return their old sneakers are offered a 10% discount code.
Ethical production is also an important factor for MoEa, which is why they employ shoemakers in Portugal aligned with European labour standards. “We are very proud to say that all the workers in our factory are fairly paid and work in respectful conditions. 64% of them are women,” notes MoEa. As a plus, their production process is chromium-free and the shoe factory uses 100% renewable energy.
All images in this article are courtesy of MoEa.
