Allbirds launches sneakers featuring plant-based leather

Sustainable footwear brand, Allbirds, has launched the ‘Plant Pacer’ shoe, created of 100% plastic-free plant leather manufactured from all-natural elements including rubber and plant oils.

With the “Plant Pacer,” Allbirds takes a further stride into the lifestyle footwear market while promoting “truly sustainable substitute leather.” The traditional court shoes have a Mirum plant leather top that was developed in collaboration with Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), a business that develops new materials, and in which the footwear company invested 2 million US dollars.

Mirum, in contrast to other leather-like substitutes, is entirely free of plastic, vegan, and made of natural materials including rubber, plant oils, and agricultural byproducts like rice hulls and citrus peels.

According to Allbirds, Mirum also has a carbon footprint that is 88 percent lower than conventional bovine leathers and 75 percent lower than commercially available synthetic “pleather” substitutes.

The lining of the “Plant Pacer” is created from Tencel Lyocell, an eco-friendly substitute for leather manufactured from eucalyptus trees, to increase comfort and make it soft and breathable. While the sidewall and outsole are composed of natural rubber, the midsole is constructed of Allbirds’ SweetFoam, a naturally manufactured green EVA derived from sugarcane.

Allbirds co-founder and co-chief executive, Tim Brown, said that for too long, fashion firms have depended on polluting synthetics and unsustainable leather, putting established ways of doing things and prices above the environment. The Plant Pacer was developed because they wished to stop it. They’re going to keep pushing the boundaries of sustainable footwear via the creative application of natural materials like Plant Leather and others.

As part of its new strategy to create a “more modern line-up of footwear,” Allbirds will also offer a canvas version of the “Plant Pacer” produced from organic cotton. While canvas sneakers will cost 110 pounds, the plant-based leather version will retail for 120 pounds.

Allbirds vice president of product design, Ashley Comeaux, said that the Pacer reflects the next generation of their brand, contributing to a community of conscious leaders who can wear their principles on their feet as a wardrobe staple. Since every one of their clients is different, they strive to create designs that capture their individual tastes as well as their need for depth and diversity in their wardrobes.

On the Allbirds website, the Plant Pacer and Canvas Pacer will be in restricted circulation on September 13; availability is anticipated to expand in early 2023.