Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1415972
THE FOOTWEAR EYE N ew footwear brand MoEa is turning heads with its line of sustainable, vegan, recyclable sneakers. The "bio-based" kicks are made from fruits and plants. When selecting a preferred shoe color, consumers are also selecting which plant it's made from. With retail prices starting at $109, each pair of stylish sneakers from the upstart Paris-based brand are made from one fruit and plant, turned into wearable materials offering a sustainable substitute to leather and plastic. The first batch launched by MoEa will allow customers to choose between apple, pineapple, cactus, corn and grape. Wearers can choose from two different color options per fruit and plant: a solid color based on their choice of fruit and plant, or a classic, solid white with colored accents. Waste of the fruits and plants are turned into material for the shoes by being recycled and colored to give birth to wearable fibers. To stabilize the biomass waste, fruits and plants are blended with organic cotton, or bio-PU or recycled plastic depending on each plant. "We all love sneakers," says Achille Gazagnes, founder and CEO of MoEa. "They're comfortable to wear and usable for a variety of different occasions. Unfortunately, they are also contributing negatively to the planet. Standard sneakers are made with leather or plastic, materials of which are both highly polluting and cruel to animals. Our goal is to use petrochemical-free leather alternatives." On average, MoEa's bio-materials are composed of 49 percent of plants or fruit. The resulting material is leather-like and breathable and is 89 percent less carbon emissive than leather, according to MoEa's Life Cycle Assessment. Durability has also been taken into account, according to the brand, with soles that are sewn to prevent them from wearing down. MoEa's sneakers are handcrafted in Porto, Portugal. The brand launched a crowdfund- ing campaign in the summer, hitting 400 percent of its goal in just two days. See more about the brand on its Instagram @moea_sneakers.— Cara Griffin These Shoes Are Made from Fruits and Plants ECO INNOVATION footwearinsight.com September/October 2021 ~ Footwear Insight • 7 Machine Washable and Great For Travel. Simco Imported Shoes weloveshoes@simcoimportedshoes.com 1-800-536-5938