Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Native Shoes Plant Shoe is 100% Biodegradable and Animal-Free

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Americans throw away roughly 300 million pairs of shoes each year. That’s nearly one pair for every man, woman, and child in this country and sneakers, particularly, have long been one of the worst culprits contributing to the world’s plastic waste pile-up. So, it was about time that a shoe company began addressing the issue at its roots. Enter Native Shoes.

On June 12, Native Shoes launched its Plant Shoe – the first and only biodegradable modern sneaker crafted entirely out of plant-derived materials.

Founded in 2009, the Vancouver, Canada-based global footwear brand has stayed grounded in its philosophy and mantra to “live lightly.” In fact, the brand’s long-term goal is to become 100% life-cycle managed by 2023 and The Plant Shoe is the first step toward making that happen.

Through extensive research, detailed development, and pioneering innovation, the Native Shoes Plant Shoe implemented a non-chemical and non-animal-derived construction technique to avoid the use of widespread synthetic materials and binding agents so often used in the footwear industry today. Made from materials like pineapple husk, corn, and eucalyptus, the Plant Shoe not only feels good on your feet, but its light environmental impact ensures you will feel good about wearing them, too.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Plant Shoe was meticulously designed with style as well as sustainability in mind while sacrificing neither quality or comfort. Featuring a retro vibe and soft design that screams summer, the Native Shoes Plant Shoe is brimming with admirable, innovative materials. First, the eco-friendly sneakers boast a natural hevea milk outsole for comfort, a pressure absorbing cork-and-sisal backing midsole, and a eucalyptus lasting board to provide durable construction you can rely on.

The Plant Shoe also features an olive oil soaked jute thread, which has a long tradition in woodworking as it fills the vacancies in wood fibers, making it more resistant to absorbing moisture and helps prevent the expansion of the natural materials. This natural binding is then enhanced with Native Shoes’ use of natural latex-based glue.

Other design components include an organic linen sock liner crafted with a soft kenaf and corn felt insole, an insanely lightweight and breathable upper constructed from carded pineapple husk and organic cotton, as well as fully organic cotton laces. The Plant Shoe is a unisex style available in one natural colorway, sizes 8-13 for men.

Native Shoes has also begun production on its Remix Project, which aims to recycle the unique composition of your beloved sneakers and repurpose them in new ways, such as the creation of communal seating, playground flooring, insulation, and more.

It’s about time we started making an effort to preserve and protect the environment around us, and buying sustainable sneakers is a great place to start.

For another environmentally friendly shoe that hit the market recently, check out Sole and United by Blue’s bison boot.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Bryan Holt
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Bryan Holt is a writer, editor, designer, and multimedia storyteller based in Portland, Oregon. He is a graduate from the…
What Wrangler Is Doing to Make Denim More Sustainable
Wrangler

Wrangler Rooted Collection Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Wrangler name conjures up images of cowboys and rodeos, an iconic dream of the West, as well as the classic rebellious American, rock-and-roll attitude. Like many modern denim brands, Wrangler is recognizing that, to thrive in today’s market, a sustainable approach to fashion goes a long way. Beyond a simple marketing message, though, Wrangler is truly embracing a “do well by doing good” message, looking out for what’s best for our planet and not only the bottom line.

Read more
Allbirds and Just Water Collaborate on Sneakers to Save the Amazon Rainforest
Allbirds x JUST

What do Silicon Valley founders, Woody Harrelson, President Obama, and your mom have in common? They’re all devoted to Allbirds, the cute, comfy sneakers made from super sustainable materials like eucalyptus fiber and merino wool. Since they debuted, they’ve become a darling of the social media age and their popularity is well-deserved.

In September, Allbirds upped its sustainability cred with the debut of a new collection of sneaks. Produced in collaboration with Just Water, another leading B-Corp with an emphasis on sustainability, every purchase of these new kicks supports Earth Alliance’s Amazon Forest Fund. And we’re not just talking a little off the top. Allbirds is sending 100% of the proceeds to rebuild the Brazilian rainforest decimated by recent wildfires.

Read more
Save the Environment in Style: Taylor Stitch Makes New Apparel from Old Garments
taylor stitch restitched upcycle progam 8

Taylor Stitch has always been devoted to eco-friendly, responsible production. Since the brand's launch in 2008, they have striven to make clothing in a way that's kind to the planet, kind to the location of production, and kind to the people who do the actual stitching.

When it comes to being green, Taylor Stitch uses recycled or at least highly sustainable fabrics and reduces water usage as much as possible. They also keep chemicals almost entirely out of the production process, from pesticides normally used in growing fabric crops to cleaners used during preparation. But despite their best attempts to make their clothing and production process as environmentally friendly as possible, the heads of the company still saw one problem they thought might be impossible to fix. Says Taylor Stitch CEO and co-founder Michael Maher: "85% of all apparel ends up in landfills, including what is donated."

Read more