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Can two brands be more sustainable than one? Reformation and New Balance are counting on it.

The It-girl brand and the sportswear maker have tag-teamed to launch a line of sneakers made with eco-friendly materials. The collaboration marks Reformation’s first foray into the sneaker category and New Balance’s inaugural sustainability-led collection.

The collection, which opens its wait list Thursday and goes on sale Oct. 10, offers lower-impact spins on classic New Balance styles, including the 574 and X90 sneakers, by swapping out virgin polyester linings, laces and labels for post-consumer recycled versions. The uppers consist of chrome-free suede—which is less toxic to leather workers and the environment—from a tannery that holds gold-level Leather Working Group status for its sustainable best practices.

Shoe inserts are derived from a combination of ethylene-vinyl acetate—a.k.a. EVA—and Bloom’s algae-based foam. The latter, which has appeared in footwear by AldoH&M and Vivobarefoot, not only reduces the amount of fossil fuels used in conventional shoe manufacturing but it also returns clean agua to the freshwater habitats from which the green stuff is dredged.

New Balance and Reformation collaborated on a collection that re-imagines the footwear brand's classic sneakers with sustainable materials.

New Balance and Reformation collaborated on a collection that re-imagines the footwear brand’s classic sneakers with sustainable materials.

But why sneakers?

“At Reformation, our mission is to bring sustainable fashion to everyone. So we continue to innovate across categories and partner with different brands to offer consumers more sustainable product choices,” Yael Aflalo, founder and CEO of Reformation, said in a statement to Sourcing Journal. “ We saw a huge opportunity with New Balance to marry our sustainability knowledge with their expertise in sneaker design to reinvent their classic sneaker styles using sustainable materials. We’re really proud of our first collection of sneakers and thrilled to see such an iconic brand prioritize sustainable innovation.”

The Reformation x New Balance collection, which ranges in price from $80 to $110, includes three styles in five exclusive colorways. They are available to purchase at Reformation’s digital and brick-and-mortar storefronts and online at www.newbalance.com.

San Diego, May 26, 2017—Leading London-based barefoot shoe company VIVOBAREFOOT announced today its partnership with Meridian MS based BLOOM, which uses algae biomass harvested from freshwater sources around the world (and cleaning them up in the process) to make EVA foams out of a non-fossil fuel for the first time—an innovation set to massively clean up the global shoe industry. VIVOBAREFOOT shoes will be the first full shoes to use the material and will be available for purchase in the summer of 2017.

A pair of VivoBarefoot Ultra shoes, size Men's EU42, returns 57 gallons of clean water to habitat, and 40 balloons-worth of CO2, per LCA data.

A pair of VivoBarefoot Ultra shoes, size Men’s EU42, returns 57 gallons of clean water to habitat, and 40 balloons-worth of CO2, per LCA data.

Founded in 2012, VIVOBAREFOOT is a global barefoot shoe company, offering men’s, women’s and children’s shoes for everyday wear, running, off-road adventures, and more. In addition to encouraging people to get closer to nature, the company prides itself on its sustainability practices.

BLOOM is a performance-based materials manufacturer, founded in 2015. BLOOM offers the first sustainable alternative to the synthetic and petrochemical foams prevalent in today’s market. Using algae biomass helps offset the significant use of petroleum ingredients found in conventional flexible foams.

The VIVOBAREFOOT X Bloom collaboration will start by using the BLOOM algae-EVA foams in the Ultra shoes: the ultimate amphibious adventure shoes. A single pair of men’s size 42 VIVOBAREFOOT X Bloom shoes returns 57 gallons of clean water to habitat and reduces 40 balloons worth of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, per pair.*

“Our goal is to deliver the most performance-driven materials in the most environmentally-responsible manner,” said Mike Van Drunen, CEO of BLOOM. “It is a goal we constantly strive to improve upon, and we are excited to collaborate with VIVOBAREFOOT on the new Ultra line.”

“This is a true revolution for the footwear industry with the first plant based alternative to the petro-foams in ubiquitous use,” said Galahad Clark, founder and MD at VIVOBAREFOOT. “We are thrilled to be the first company to use BLOOM in our shoes and further our mission to make the perfect shoe… perfect for feet and minimal impact on the planet.”

The Ultra shoe using BLOOM technologies—made from algae—will be available for purchase in July 2017 on www.vivobarefoot.com.

For more information visit www.vivobarefoot.com and www.bloomfoam.com.

 

About VIVOBAREFOOT

VIVOBAREFOOT launched in 2012 as a standalone brand, and is based in London, England. VIVOBAREFOOT is on a mission to change the footwear industry based on one simple insight—shoes should let your feet do their natural thing. The shoes feature a patented, ultra-thin, puncture-resistant sole in every shoe that protects the foot and allows maximum sensory feedback. Designed using ancient wisdom with modern technology VIVOBAREFOOT is a complete shoe collection for off road, exercise and everyday wear, as well as a line for kids. Created by two cousins from a long line of cobblers, Galahad and Asher Clark are on a quest to make the perfect shoe—perfect for feet. VIVOBAREFOOT footwear is produced sustainably using recycled, locally sourced materials in independently monitored factories. For more information on VIVOBAREFOOT, visit www.vivobarefoot.com.

 

About BLOOM

Founded in 2015, BLOOM is an American performance-based materials manufacturer based in Meridian, Miss. BLOOM uses algae biomass harvested from freshwater sources around the world, (like lakes, rivers, and ponds) at high risk of algal bloom. Using algae biomass helps improve technical performance and offsets the use of petroleum ingredients found in conventional foams. Learn more at www.bloomfoam.com.