This Footwear Brand Turns 17 Recycled Bottles Into New Shoes

Mammals and fish alike, benefit from clean oceans. Plastic Oceans reports that more than 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year, and nearly half of the plastic we produce is single use only.

This shoe brand, however, is riding the wave of change and is on a mission to help clean up our waters and rid the sea of plastic bottles that can take up to 400 years to biodegrade.

Vivobarefoot’s newest footwear uses recycled plastic materials and has created an education program that spreads awareness about how harmful plastic is for sea life.

Every pair of shoes is comprised of 17 plastic water bottles taken from the ocean and turned into a sustainable, comfortable pair of shoes, which are also healthy for your feet. And while not everyone can take part in ocean cleanups, choosing little ways we can give back to our planet go a long way.

To be as inclusive as possible, Vivobarefoot’s offerings include a variety of high-performance styles such as casual sneakers, running shoes, and hiking boots.

The brand hopes that its latest initiative will help lessen the apathy around pollution and how harmful it is for all living beings. In the future, Vivobarefoot hopes to increase their production of shoes created from sustainable materials, and thankfully, they’re now one of many brands that aim to increase environmentalism and educate communities on how global warming affects everyone.

This year, they’ll add more recyclable and traceable materials into more than half of their vegan line, and they have plenty of creative developments in the works as well.

The shoes also have a health benefit. Based on the notion that wider, minimally designed shoes enable our foot to function at maximum potential, wearers also experience better balance and sensory input.

A globally conscious brand that’s several steps in the right direction? Yes, please.