GREATS has made sneakers completely eco-friendly at every stage of construction

The Brooklyn-based sneakers brand, GREATS has swiftly transformed its manufacturing practices to become better stewards of the environment. The minimalistic brand’s first step in reducing its environmental impact was launched last year in Royale Knit silhouette, that utilised recycled single-use and ocean plastics.

Each pair of sneakers made equates to over seven plastic water bottles and is packaged in recycled materials. The new kicks are machine washable and will remain crisp for a long period of time. The Royale Knit stated that GREATS was committed to reducing its ecological footprint and the brand has released several styles created with those new environmental standards in mind.

Their biggest effort towards their commitment has come with the launch of its most responsible shoe ever, the Royale Eco Canvas. The collection has been completely designed from repurposed canvas, framed with recycled cotton, padded with Bloom Algae Foam extracted from over-populated ecosystems, supported by natural recycled rubber outsoles and bound together with recycled cotton laces. The company’s switch from silhouette’s footbed to algae foam insoles, will allow the company to returned 115,960 litres of clean water back to natural ecosystems by the end of the year.

As upcycling gains traction, the brand scoured its factories for leftover materials to create the Royale High Patchwork launched this September. The brand utilised upcycled scraps of fabric and textiles to create a stylishly crafted patchwork design on the uppers, while repurposed materials are used throughout the lining, footbed, and outsole to ensure nothing goes to waste.