Shortlisted for wearable design of the year at Dezeen Awards 2019, The Plant Shoe by Native Shoes is the first modern sneaker made entirely of plant-derived components.

100 per cent biodegradable, the Plant Shoe is completely animal-free and vegan-friendly with a consumer compostable end-life. Made from corn, pineapple, cotton, eucalyptus, olive oil and dried hevea milk, each detail of the unisex shoe was designed by Canadian footwear brand Native Shoes with sustainability in mind. In a bid to offer consumers footwear that is both high-quality and zero-waste, Native Shoes has designed a high-quality and comfortable sneaker that won’t negatively impact the environment. According to the company, the US alone throws away at least 300 million pairs of shoes each year, and most end up in landfill. Sneakers are typically made up of mostly plastic or chemically treated materials that make them impossible to break down. By using natural materials, the Plant Shoe is able to break down naturally over a comparatively short amount of time.

Designer: Native Shoes
Project: The Plant Shoe