Americans send 300 million pairs of shoes to the landfill each year. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could throw them in the compost pile instead?
Native Shoes just released the world’s first 100% backyard-compostable, vegan shoes.
In the past, consumers have had to decide between factory-farmed leather and petroleum-based synthetic shoes, aka animal cruelty and plastic.
Not anymore. Known for it’s “beast-free” kicks, Native Shoes has developed a pair of sneakers made from 100% biodegradable plant-based material.
Unlike many “compostable” products that require high heat and other special conditions to break down, The Plant Shoe is designed to biodegrade alongside your kitchen scraps in a regular backyard compost pile.
They’re made from six sustainable ingredients:
1. Pineapple husks that would’ve otherwise been discarded are used in place of suede on the upper.
2. Organic linen from flax provides a breathable sockliner.
3. Kenaf, a long fiber that needs no chemical intervention in its processing, adds strength and protection against wear and tear in the foot bed.
4.Eucalyptus pulp, processed with next to zero effect on its surrounding environment, is formed into a pliable base for the upper of the shoe.
5. Lactae hevea, derived from the virgin milk of a hevea tree, provides natural latex soles, devoid of petro-chemicals.
6. Organic cotton used for the canvas upper and laces.
The unisex shoes start out at $200 a pair, but the company hopes to make them less expensive as they are manufactured on a larger scale.
If that’s too steep a pricetag, Reebok has come out with a line
The label “compostable” is a step above “biodegradable,” as it means a product can biodegrade more quickly — in one compost cycle — and leaves no toxic residue in your soil.
Also, Vivobarefoot