From Merino wool uppers to eco-leather, discover the newest environmentally friendly solutions developed by key brands from the sneaker industry like Circle Sportswear, Diadora and Allbirds.
Circle Sportswear meets Merino Wool
The French eco-minded sports and lifestyle brand Circle Sportswear has teamed up with The Woolmark Company to unveil Super Natural Runner's, its first pair of Merino wool running shoes.
Their uppers are made of 65% Australian Merino wool and 35% Tencel, helping provide them excellent durability and longevity, while the lining is 100% Australian Merino wool.
Merino wool guarantees many benefits as it avoids microplastic pollution, it is 100% natural, renewable, biodegradable and recyclable. In addition, it has excellent thermo- and moisture-regulating, as well as breathable properties.
The midsole of the SuperNatural Runner is made of castor oil from Arkema and offers optimal flexibility, lightness, elasticity and shape retention. Thanks to the dynamic shape of the outsole, the musculoskeletal system is also supported from the first step. This is made of Lactae Hevea, a vulcanized natural rubber.
The Super Natural Runner is one of the first fully ecologically designed running shoes to be manufactured in Europe. The production, development and composition of the various parts was carried out in Italy, Normandy, Germany and Portugal. Each component has been carefully selected so that it can be recycled without post-consumer waste. Its upper is fully biodegradable, while its sole can be fully recycled through mechanical processes without losing its technical properties.
Circle's SuperNatural Runner is sold by pre-order only to limit overproduction and manage inventory. Starting March 15, 2023, the running shoe will be available on the Circle Sportswear website in three colors: natural (white), black and green, for a pre-order price of €150 instead of €200.
Diadora continues its sustainability journey by launching a new running high-performance model.
The Italian brand, in partnership with ACBC, has launched Mythos Blushield Volo 3, the first technical running shoe with reduced environmental impact and Vegan-OK certified from its offer. Moreover, ACBC's innovative eco materials have met Diadora's Blushield technology to ensure excellent running performance.
This new model can now satisfy many consumers' requests as it combines comfort, lightness and cushioning along with a selection of highly sustainable materials.
Its midsole with Blushield technology–which corrects asymmetry in running–is made of Bio-EVA, an innovative material partly made from bio-based components which make these Mythos sneakers extremely comfortable and durable.
The outsole, on the other hand, is made of Re Rubber, a very flexible and durable compound composed of virgin and post-consumer recycled components. Starting with selected waste materials, the rubber is in fact transformed to create new high-performance materials.
To complete the project, Diadora and ACBC have also presented a special sustainable make-up of Kmaro 42, a retro running shoe with an unmistakably '80s silhouette, made with FreeBio, an alternative to real leather and conventional synthetic materials with GRS certification, chosen to preserve the iconic look of this model.
Inside the box there is a seedable paper which contains seeds inside that, when buried, will germinate and give birth to a plant.
ACBC x Diadora Mythos Volo 3 is available in select stores and online at diadora.com and acbc.com starting from March 2, 2023, retail price €170. The ACBC x Diadora Kmaro 42 is also available from the same date for €190.
So cool and at the same time elegant as sporty, Allbirds has recently launched a new black sneaker model made with a leather alternative material.
The US brand has delivered the reissue of its Plant Pacer model, a modern and even more sustainable alternative to one of its bestselling models that is 100% plant-based. Unlike many other leather imitations available on the market, Allbirds' vegan material is completely plastic-free.
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