Vivobarefoot, a London-based purveyor of so-called “barefoot” footwear, is going green in an altogether unexpected way. Together with Bloom, a materials innovation firm from San Diego, the company is poised to debut the world’s first molded shoe derived from algae. No, swamp couture hasn’t suddenly become en vogue. Rather, Bloom harvests biomass from ponds and lakes, particularly those at risk for algal overload, and turns it into closed-cell foam known as ethylene-vinyl acetate, or EVA for short.
Typically made from petroleum-based sources, EVA is what gives sneakers that extra-cushy feel. Vivobarefoot’s new lace-up is made almost entirely from the stuff, a fact that not only makes it equally at home on land and in water, but it also gives the environment a much-needed boost.
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A single pair of men’s size 42 Vivobarefoot x Bloom shoes, according to Vivobarefoot, returns 57 gallons of clean water to ecosystem while removing the equivalent of 40 balloons worth of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
“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 managing director of Vivobarefoot, in a statement. “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.”
Related: Mexico-sized algae bloom in the Arabian Sea connected to climate change
The Vivobarefoot x Bloom shoe will be available for purchase online and in stores this July.
