Not only sneakers, but sandals are also getting a sustainable vegan makeover too by Californian-based fashion retailer Old Navy. The San Francisco-based company has recently released a women’s plant-based flip-flops with an EVA foam outsole made from 51-percent renewable sugarcane.
The tag price starts from USD 4.99 to USD 8.99, the sandals are available in classic, T-strap, Jelly Criss-Cross, and Jelly Slide styles. Color patterns vary among the four styles, the sandals can be purchased in ombré, leopard print, and tye-dye patterns as well as solid hues.
Old Navy aims to offer consumers a sustainable, environmentally conscious shoe choice. “These flip-flops are partially made from renewable sugarcane, which helps cut down on our consumption of fossil fuels,” the product details state. “It looks and feels just like your favorite flip-flops while helping reduce our carbon footprint.”
Old Navy isn’t the only fashion retailer to offer sustainable vegan attire made with sugarcane. New lingerie brand Kindly launched their first-ever plant-based bra cups made from sugarcane. They can be found at Walmart locations and website, the bras feature 75-percent recycled materials.
The new brand launched two different styles of bras and three styles of bralettes alongside thongs, hipsters, and boyshorts. They are designed for all-day wearability and hybrid designs, free from underwires and offering a softer feel.
As we mentioned before on VegansBay, biotechnology startup Bolt Threads partnered with fashion industry giants such as Adidas, Stella McCartney, and Kerig—the luxury fashion group that manages brand development for Gucci, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and more.
With this partnership, Bolt Threads granted brand partners exclusive access to Mylo, a vegan material made from mycelium (mushroom root systems) that the startup crafts into vegan leather.
Adidas is continuously working for a commercial launch of its mushroom leather prototypes and innovating in the vegan shoe market. Earlier this month, Adidas launched its newest vegan leather Stan Smith style. The shoe, inspired by Miss Piggy, is made using vegan leather composed of recycled materials and is free from virgin polyester. European-based brands Undo for Tomorrow and Nat-2 are also using recycled materials, such as party balloons and bubble wrap to make vegan shoes.
Fashion retailer H&M is also making efforts to provide more sustainable vegan leather fashion. In March, the brand launched its Science Story collection featuring Desserto, an innovative vegan leather made from cactus leaves and developed by Mexican entrepreneurs Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez.
In addition to cactus leaves, plant-based leather can be made from a wide variety of fibers and is typically created from waste byproducts. Producers of these materials are now attracting large suppliers looking to curb their own waste, including food and beverage company Dole Sunshine Company. This month, the company partnered with Ananas Anam—the London-based company behind vegan pineapple leather brand Piñatex—to create plant-based leather from Dole’s harvested pineapple plant leaves.
