Allbirds has a new all-star investor: actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio, who tweeted his involvement this morning.
The fast-growing sustainable startup also announced DiCaprio’s investment as well as the launch of a new collection of flip-flops called Sugar Zeffers, which are made of a new type of green EVA derived from sugarcane.
While many casual shoes feature outsoles made of EVA, a plastic material that can potentially pollute the environment, Allbirds has been working on a planet-friendly alternative it calls SweetFoam, a proprietary sole material made from a new green EVA derived from renewable sugarcane.
SweetFoam will be introduced in its purest form through Sugar Zeffers, available for both men and women. Allbirds is giving consumers the opportunity to customize the look by mixing and matching the bouncy bottoms with the uppers. Simply buy a pair for $35 and mix and match a range of interchangeable straps for just $15 each. The collection will be sold exclusively online and in Allbirds stores.
Watch on FN
In addition to incorporating the material into its own collection, Allbirds is doing its part for the environment by making the SweetFoam technology available to other manufacturers.
Allbirds remains committed to protecting the globe while having some fun with fashion. It entered the footwear scene with an initial offering made of New Zealand merino wool. Since then, the brand has added footwear made with tree fiber sourced from South African farms that minimize fertilizer and rely on rainfall.
Want more?
5 Reasons Allbirds Is Winning
How Silicon Valley Darling Allbirds Became a Footwear Phenomenon
An Insider’s Look at Allbirds New Headquarters in San Francisco
