UGG Releases Collection Made from Reclaimed Wool and Repurposed Plastic

Footwear brand UGG recently announced the launch of their new eco-friendly line, the Icon-Impact collection. 

The collection is made up of shoes that were all produced using sustainably sourced materials, including reclaimed wool and repurposed plastic.

The California-based brand chose to launch the Icon-Impact collection as part of its ongoing dedication to minimizing waste and at the same time, its environmental impact on the planet (which is all part of the brand’s mission, as outlined in their Feel Good Initiative published last year). 

To bring the Icon-Impact collection to life, UGG developed an innovative method of creating new materials out of wool waste, producing two new materials in total. The materials, UGGPlush and UGGCycle, are each made from reclaimed wool and thus require far less water and energy consumption (not to mention carbon emissions) than virgin wool. In fact, UGG says that their new repurposed wool resulted in saving 132 million megajoules of energy, 11.9 billion gallons of water, and 134 million pounds of carbon dioxide. This is a major stride for the brand, owing to how integral virgin wool had formerly been to their supply chain.

Beyond the brand’s innovative use of wool, the Icon-Impact collection also incorporates UGG’s signature SugarSole foam sole, which is a vegan sole made out of sugarcane, as well as repurposed PET plastic and other carbon-neutral materials. Sugarcane is eco-friendly, not only because it is plant-based and a renewable resource, but also because it absorbs 1.6 pounds of carbon dioxide for every pound of ethylene replaced. UGG further claims that by utilizing recycled plastic in the Icon-Impact collection, they saved over 350,000 plastic bottles from the landfill (the equivalent of two to three bottles per shoe). 

Those interested in a more sustainable footwear option can find UGG’s new reclaimed wool and recycled PET present in three new styles that make up the Icon-Impact collection: The Fluff Sugar Cross Slide, Fuzz Sugar Slide, and Classic Sugar Ultra Mini. Each style looks and feels like a traditional UGG shoe but incorporates a variety of eco-friendly elements. Colourways range from baby pink to cream and brown.

Even better, UGG has pledged to plant one tree in partnership with the One Tree Planted organization for every Icon-Impact purchase.

Prices range from $125 CAD for the slides to $190 CAD for the mini boots. All Icon-Impact styles are currently available in select UGG stores and on the brand’s website.

All images in this article are courtesy of UGG.