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The New Sperry BIONIC Collection Is Partly Made from Recycled Plastic Trash

By Chelsea Batten Published August 6, 2021

Image used with permission by copyright holder

March 22 is World Water Day, a holiday designated by the United Nations to spotlight the importance of clean freshwater around the world and to support advocacy efforts for sustainable water management. In keeping with this vital issue, heritage brand Sperry is launching a new sustainability platform. The campaign Look Good, Do Good pairs a sustainability education program with classic Sperry styles that are created from sustainable materials.

Since the brand is best known for creating the original boat shoe, it’s only fitting that its new collection should draw attention to the preservation of clean water. That’s why the launch kicks off with a collection of men’s, women’s, and kids’ shoes fabricated in partnership with BIONIC Yarn, a material engineering company that creates yarn from plastic waste and trash recovered from marine and coastal environments.

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The new Sperry BIONIC Collection features Sperry’s most iconic designs — the Classic Boat Shoe, the Captain’s CVO, and the Captain’s Slip-On — all built in part from this innovative and sustainable fabric.

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

Buy at Amazon

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Buy at Amazon

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even the packaging of the BIONIC collection is eco-friendly by design. Shoe boxes are made from post-consumer recycled material, are printed with water or soy-based inks, and have no added adhesives.

Sperry’s hope with this new collection is to motivate its worldwide following to help reduce the eight million tons of plastic that enters the world’s oceans each year. In the words of CMO Kate Minner, “We are a brand born of the sea. It is our duty to get involved and protect the waterways that stretch across the globe and connect us all.”

Sperry’s BIONIC Collection ranges in price from $70 to $100 and will be available this month from Nordstrom, Macy’s, Zappos, as well as the Sperry website.

For a look at other brands doing their part to make a difference, check out seven eco-friendly companies cleaning up the world’s oceans.

Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual

Chelsea Batten is a writer, photographer, and Kerouac groupie. One of the original digital nomads, she was seduced from life…

Fashion & Style

Every Bag in Nixon’s Latest Collection Is Made from Recycled Ocean-Bound Plastic

Nikon H20 Yeah

Despite what the conspiracy loons would have you believe, climate change is a real thing. We’re killing our planet; just how fast is a matter of debate. Some estimates warn that, by 2050, there may be more plastics in our oceans than fish. The good news is that there’s still time to do something about it. Eliminating virgin and single-use plastics is a vital first step. Thankfully, the most eco-conscious gear brands are doing their part to create sustainable goods out of materials that might otherwise be destined for the landfill. San Diego’s Nixon just announced an innovative recycled bag collection that proves our future needn’t look so grim.

Nixon’s all-new H20 Yeah! line includes duffel bags, backpacks, totes, and other niche carry products. All are functional, versatile, durable, and stylish. But, what truly sets them apart is that all are made from eco-conscious Repreve Our Ocean performance fiber -- a unique material created entirely from ocean-bound plastic bottles. For Nixon, that means every bag in the H20 Yeah! line removes as many as 20 bottles from circulation -- bottles that likely would have found their way into a landfill or worse. The California-based maker is the first in the U.S. to utilize the next-generation material in a full line of bags.

Fashion & Style

F1 legend Montoya gets fourth custom Rolex in rose gold

Swiss customizer creates fourth Montoya Daytona with Colombian flag-inspired dial

Juan Pablo Montoya Rolex Daytona

Juan Pablo Montoya's illustrious racing career has been captured in a new skeletonized Rolex Daytona in rose gold by customization specialist Artisans de Genève, marking the fourth collaboration between the Formula 1 legend and the Swiss workshop.
The Colombian racing icon competed for Williams from 2001 to 2004 and McLaren from 2005 to 2006, securing seven Grand Prix wins and multiple podium finishes during his F1 career. His success extended beyond Formula 1 to include race wins in the American NASCAR series, establishing him as one of motorsport's most versatile champions.
Montoya has worked with Artisans de Genève on a series of Daytona chronographs designed to highlight his most treasured racing memories. Previous editions in steel, platinum, and yellow gold have now led to this rose gold piece that features an openworked dial with subdials in the blue, yellow, and red of the Colombian flag.
The latest iteration introduces a forged carbon tachymeter bezel framed with rose gold for the first time in the series. This combination creates a striking contrast while maintaining the racing aesthetic that defines Montoya's custom timepieces.
The eye of a Formula 1 engineer has been applied to every detail of the watch, including the sandblasting of the chronograph hand to prevent glare during use. This attention to functional details reflects Montoya's professional racing background and his understanding of precision timing requirements.
The ref. 116505 Daytona's 4230 movement has been completely disassembled, with each component beveled, sandblasted, and polished by hand. Artisans de Genève has fitted a newly designed triangular rotor in 22-carat gold, which is displayed through an exhibition case back following current fashion for Rolex chronograph customizations.
"The more you look at it, the more you like it," Montoya commented on the finished timepiece, reflecting his satisfaction with the intricate craftsmanship and personal touches incorporated throughout the design.
The collaboration between Montoya and Artisans de Genève demonstrates the growing trend of personalized luxury timepieces that celebrate individual achievements and heritage. The incorporation of Colombian flag colors provides a patriotic element while the technical modifications reflect Montoya's professional racing standards.
This rose gold edition completes a comprehensive collection spanning multiple precious metals, each representing different phases of Montoya's racing career. The progression from steel through platinum, yellow gold, and now rose gold showcases the evolution of both the partnership and the customization techniques employed by Artisans de Genève.
The meticulous attention to engineering details, from anti-glare treatments to precision finishing, demonstrates how high-end watch customization can merge aesthetic appeal with functional performance requirements developed through professional motorsport experience.

Fashion & Style

JJJJound and PUMA drop two chic, dark suede Mostros

JJJJound and PUMA update the Mostro sneaker

puma x jjjjound sneakers

While the Mostro has become the star of Puma’s recent releases, it’s been hard to classify the sneaker as anything but a statement design. Made to be seen, the Mostro’s often chunky silhouette is far from the slim look of its competitor, Adidas’ Samba sneaker. However, in its newest release, Puma has partnered up with JJJJound for a new minimalist look that delivers a subdued design to this iconic silhouette. JJJJound is no stranger to remixing iconic shoes, having done so in the past with other iconic brands like ASICS and New Balance. True to their brand, JJJJound has introduced a new minimalist look for the Mostro, making it a versatile option for Puma footwear fans.

JJJJound and Puma bring minimalism to the Mostro