Made from bacteria-grown materials and designed to return harmlessly to the earth, could this be the end of landfill-bound footwear?
From foams to fabrics and coatings to cushions, around 40 materials and fabrication methods are involved in the making of a typical shoe. Their development, production and transport – not to mention the synthetic glues that bind them together – often deliver a mighty kick to the environment.
Now, the OXMAN design lab has unveiled the O° shoe: “fully biodegradable” footwear that’s made entirely from polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). PHAs are organic materials produced by bacteria that consume carbon dioxide, methane or food waste, making them a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
The shoe features a knitted PHA yarn base on to which PHA outer layers are 3D printed. The process involves no petrochemicals or glues, says the company, and only bacteria-derived pigments are used as dyes.
Neri Oxman, CEO and founder of Oxman, said the technology “seeks to minimize harm in its conception and nourish the environment in its afterlife”.
The company is now exploring potential partners and investors to bring the production of O° shoes – plus textiles – to scale and to market.
Images: Nicholas Calcott, courtesy of OXMAN
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