The move to sustainability in sneakers is certainly nothing new, yet some brands have approached it in an entirely different way. New Balance, for example, took to small programs of recycled materials and production scraps, Nike has incorporated natural dyes and FlyLeather- a new super material made with at least 50 percent recycled natural leather fiber, and now Reebok is ushering in their Forever Floatride GROW, a performance runner made entirely out of plant-based materials.
Committed to reducing virgin polyester from its material mix and eliminating it altogether by 2025, Reebok has launched two pillars of sustainability efforts. [REE] GROW is dedicated to the creation of products from natural materials, while [REE] CYCLED will create products using recycled or repurposed materials. Continuing its bid towards sustainable production established by its Cotton + Corn lifestyle collection, Reebok has now updated its latest sustainable footwear innovation the Forever Floatride GROW by replacing traditional petroleum-based materials with natural alternatives including castor bean oil, eucalyptus tree, algae, and natural rubber.
The naturally biodegradable, sustainably sourced, strong and breathable upper found on the Forever Floatride GROW is crafted of eucalyptus tree fibers and the naturally odor-resistant sockliner utilizes BLOOM algae foam harvested from invasive growth areas. Working with the Sekisui Corporation in Japan, the highly cushioned, responsive midsole is crafted of sustainably grown castor beans which provides the shoe with high-performance lightweight cushioning. Finally, the flexible, durable and responsive natural rubber outsole is sourced from real rubber trees.
Source
1. https://www.businessinsider.com/reebok-releasing-new-vegan-running-shoe-2019-12 2. https://sneakernews.com/2019/12/04/reebok-forever-floatride-grow-plant-based-shoe/ 3. https://hypebeast.com/2019/12/reebok-forever-floatride-grow-unveil-release
