Stella McCartney's newest sneakers feature soles dyed with cinnamon waste instead of synthetic coloring, enhancing their sustainability. The soles are crafted from plant-based materials like castor beans. They can be composted or recycled after use. Previous iterations included recycled TPU, but faced sustainability issues with fossil-fuel-based plastics lasting hundreds of years in landfills. Collaborating with Balena, a materials science startup, McCartney's team developed BioCir Flex, a bio-based material providing durability and compostability without sacrificing performance in sneaker soles.
The real hurdle was how to match the durability and flexibility of traditional fossil-based plastics . . . using a bio-based material that could also break down at end of life.
That balance of true compostability without sacrificing performance simply hadn't been cracked yet. Most biodegradable materials on the market just aren't built to handle the stress, abrasion, and longevity needed in a sneaker sole.
The soles can either be composted or recycled, making the sneakers a more sustainable alternative compared to traditional fossil-fuel-based plastics.
Stella McCartney’s team partnered with Balena to engineer a new product called BioCir Flex, designed to have the comfort and resilience of conventional plastic.
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