Sneakers

No Frickin Chicken's new location.

© No Frickin Chicken
Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

5 Small Vegan Businesses You May Not Know That Deserve to Be on Your Radar

This week we will introduce ten small vegan businesses you may have never heard of; below are five interesting small businesses from around the world, and stay tuned on Friday for another five that deserve to be on your watch list. From Chacino in Spain, offering vegan-friendly cured sausages, to No Frickin Chicken in the UK, serving cruelty-free chicken, these businesses are catering to the growing demand for sustainable and animal-free options. 1. Chacino – Ávila, Spain Born from a partnership between Jamones y Embutidos Pinantes and a team of chefs and scientists, Chacino offers unique plant-based cured sausages, combining the art of traditional curing with modern food innovation.  With a focus on honoring the heritage of past generations and expertise while looking toward the future, Chacino …

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Trash Planet unleashes new collection of vegan and recyclable sneakers and boots

© Trash Planet
Products & Launches

Trash Planet Launches Sustainable Vegan Footwear Made From Apple Leather & Recycled Materials

Sustainable footwear company Trash Planet has unveiled its new collection of vegan and eco-friendly sneakers and boots. Crafted from sustainable and recycled materials such as apple leather, corn, rubber, and polyester canvas, Trash Planet’s new innovative footwear collection is cruelty-free and environmentally responsible. The company describes it as “a game-changer in the industry’s quest for genuinely greener options.”  Based in the UK, Trash Planet aims to revolutionise the fashion industry and set a new standard for sustainable fashion by pioneering the use of recycled materials to create cutting-edge recyclable fashion pieces.  “We are beyond excited to introduce our newest collection of vegan, recycled, and recyclable sneakers and boots,” said Holly Boxall, head of design at Trash Planet. Guilt-free fashion The vegan leather used for the …

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vegtus' cactus leather sneakers

© Vegtus
Shoes

Spanish Vegan Sneaker Brand Vegtus Expands With New Line Inspired by City Dwellers

Vegtus, which claims to be the first Spanish brand to make cactus leather sneakers, announced it will soon launch its new Spring Summer 2023 collection inspired by city dwellers and urban fashion. “The city is a constant source of inspiration for us, from fashion to culture, and is reflected in the new SS23 models,” Vegtus told culturamas. The new collection (yet to be discovered) has been designed for spring and summer, bringing new colors and shapes, but the recycled materials and cruelty-free leathers will remain the protagonists, said Vegtus. Cactus leather vs. cowhide Born and manufactured entirely in Spain, Vegtus — ‘Veg’ for vegan and ‘tus’ for cactus — uses Nopal cacti-derived leather for its ethical and sustainable sneaker and sandal collections, combining trend with …

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© RapidBox
Investments & Acquisitions

Indian Vegan Leather Shoe Producer Rapidbox Raises $4.5M in Series A Funding

Rapidbox, an India-based startup producing vegan leather sneakers, has raised $4.5 million in a Series A funding round led by SIG Venture Capital. Other participants included Tanglin Venture Partners, India Quotient, and Ananya Goenka (an investment banking analyst). The startup, which also produces other fashion and sportswear items, says it will use the funding to improve customer experience, expand its product range, and further build the brand. Rapidbox sneakers feature uppers made from either high-gauge vegan leather or polyester yarns. According to the company, the soles, footbeds, and laces are all made from high-quality animal-free materials, ensuring the shoes will be long-lasting. Rapidbox products are sold via the company’s app and on marketplaces such as FlipKart and Myntra. The brand aims to provide high-quality shoes …

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Fenics

© Fenics
Shoes

Fenics: Sustainable Vegan Sneakers Inspired by the Eighties

French company Fenics produces eighties-inspired vegan sneakers with half the carbon footprint of other brands on the market. The shoes also take half the amount of water and energy to produce compared to conventional sneakers. This is largely due to the sustainable materials used in their construction. The outer part of the shoes is made from apple fibres, while the inner lining is cotton and the insole is recycled polyurethane. The outsole contains a combination of natural and synthetic rubber. The shoes are made in an artisan workshop in Spain, which is powered by renewable energy. When worn out, they can be returned to Fenics and partially recycled in exchange for a €20 credit. To keep their carbon footprint low, the shoes are only available …

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New version of Cariuma's signature sneaker

© Cariuma
Shoes

Ultra Low-Waste Version of Cariuma’s Signature Sneaker Launched for Earth Month

A new version of Cariuma’s signature sneaker has launched in celebration of Earth Month. The shoe is even lower-waste than the original, and the company is planting ten rather than two trees for each pair sold. The ultra-sustainable version of the OCA shoe is made from a blend of organic cotton and recycled canvas, with a 100% organic cotton lining. The outsole is made from Cariuma’s brand-new lightweight BLOOM rubber, which is algae-based and completely renewable. The shoe is completed by a bio-based oil insole with a cork insert, as well as “burnt” no-fray lace tips and bio-based eyelets. The laces are made from organic cotton and recycled plastics, and the shoe is handmade with a fully-stiched outsole. Ultra-low carbon sneakers A year ago, Cariuma …

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shoe startup Hylo

© Hylo
Shoes

Ex Pro Footballer Raises £2.5M to “Change the Future of Sportswear” With New Brand Hylo

UK-based shoe startup Hylo has secured £2.5 million ($3.2 million) in a Series A funding round for low carbon, vegan sports shoes which are sold DTC to consumers in the UK and USA. According to Hylo, its vegan-friendly sneakers have a 52% lower carbon footprint than regular running shoes. The sneakers are made entirely with renewable, recyclable ingredients such as natural rubber, cotton, algae, and corn fibre. Hylo was co-founded by Michael Doughty — a former professional soccer player who played for Queens Park Rangers and Swindon — alongside Jacob Green and John Prescott. The round was led by Eka Ventures with participation from Redrice Ventures and angel investors including England footballer Patrick Bamford, and the fresh funds will be invested in the development of …

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© New Balance
Shoes

New Balance Launches Vegan Version of 990v5 Shoe

Updated Jan 2024: Following the launch of New Balance’s vegan version of the 990v5 shoe, the company also dropped a vegan-friendly iteration of its best-selling 574 collection. While New Balance is no longer making the vegan 990v5 sneaks, you may still be able to purchase them from third-party retailers while supplies last. US company New Balance unveils vegan version of 990v5 shoe, featuring animal-free suede and leather. Sportswear brand New Balance has launched the first ever animal-free version of its classic 990v5 sneaker. Pigskin suede has been replaced with vegan leather and plastic overlays to make the shoes cruelty-free. The sneaker looks very similar to the original 990v5, with the same greyscale palate. However, it also features a green and white V logo on the …

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Louis Vuitton

©Louis Vuitton

Fashion, Design & Beauty

Louis Vuitton Releases Sustainable Corn-Based Vegan Sneakers 

Luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton has entered the rapidly growing sustainable shoe market. With its new Charlie sneakers, the French brand is utilizing 90% recycled and bio-sourced materials, including Biopolioli – a corn-based plastic. Featuring a unisex design, Charlie is Louis Vuitton’s most eco-friendly sneaker offering to date; the laces are made from recycled fibers, the soles are composed of 94% recycled rubber, and the tongue is from Econyl – a renewable nylon fabric. Every pair of Charlie sneakers is produced in Louis Vuitton’s workshop in Fiesso d’Artico, Italy, and come in low and high-top versions.  Biopolioli is just one of the latest biomaterials to be changing the world of fashion as the concept of “luxury” seems to be changing in the face of the …

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Nike Piñatex

©Nike
Fashion, Design & Beauty

Nike Reveals Happy Pineapple Collection Made from Piñatex Pineapple Leather

Nike has unveiled its latest range of sustainable footwear with its Happy Pineapple Collection. Featuring seven new editions, the range is made with the latest generation Piñatex, a sustainable plant-based alternative to leather made using pineapple leaves. “Design is a connecting tool between people, economics and the environment” The collection comprises seven sneaker editions across five styles; the Free Run Trail Premium, the Air Max 90, the Air Max 95, Air Force One, and the Air-Zoom Type. Complete with an embroidered pineapple graphic as a nod to the range’s sustainable credentials, the move is part of Nike’s Move to Zero initiative with the aim of becoming carbon neutral. Made from pineapple leaves which are the byproduct of existing agriculture, Piñatex is a natural, sustainably sourced, …

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Algae

©Nastya Tepikina @stock.adobe.com

Fashion, Design & Beauty

Kanye West Creates an Algae-Based Vegan Sneaker for Adidas

According to Mashable, Rapper Kanye West and Yeezy head shoe designer, Steven Smith, recently unveiled the new sustainable vegan sneaker prototype. This collaboration between Adidas and West is an algae-based shoe made with ingredients grown in Wyoming. The prototype was produced in Atlanta, Georgia, and within the next two years, plans are to manufacture the footwear in the US.

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Lyst logo

©Lyst
Society

Vegan Sneaker is Most Searched For Product on Fashion Search Engine Lyst

The steadily-growing vegan trend is not limited to food; this has been confirmed by a recent analysis of the fashion search engine Lyst. The vegan Stan Smith sneaker, designed by Stella McCartney with Adidas, leads the rankings of the most popular and sought-after products in Germany. In total, 80% more sustainable and vegan fashion was searched for this year than last year. In its recent analysis, the fashion search engine Lyst examined the most popular sustainable brands and products among Germans and also drew international comparisons. The top 10 most searched items are dominated by bags, sneakers, and jackets. First place goes to the Stan Smith sneaker, a vegan product. Lyst was founded in London in 2010 and is the world’s leading fashion search engine. …

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