After successfully launching Thursday Boot Co. in 2014 via a Kickstarter campaign, brand co-founder and CEO Nolan Walsh is embarking on yet another project: the recent debut of Nothing New, a direct-to-consumer collection of sustainable, vegan sneakers.
Each shoe is made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic — including the laces — and the heel counters are created with upcycled industrial fishing nets. The outsoles are also composed of natural rubber, recycled rubber and cork, while the comfortable Ortholite ECO35 insoles are made of 5% recycled rubber content. (Even the shoe tag produced with recycled cotton.)
“We want to positively impact our community, our industry and our planet,” said Walsh. “By developing best-in-class sustainable products and investing in programs to minimize our environmental footprint, we hope to raise the bar for what customers expect from brands and contribute to the change we want to see in the world.”
The collection of men’s and women’s styles, which launched on Friday, is available in a range of classic colors such as white, red, blue, olive, gray and jet black. High-top styles retail for $110, while low-top silhouettes go for $95.
In an effort to reinforce recycling, all customers who buy a pair of sneakers can send them back and receive $20 off their next purchase.
According to UNEnvironment.org — the United Nations Environment Programme, which was established in 1972 and is considered the voice for the environment in the United Nations — about 300 million tons of plastic waste are produced every year, nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. (If current trends continue, the earth’s oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050.)
Nothing New joins a growing list of brands that use recycled plastic to create footwear. Women’s brand Rothy’s has garnered significant attention for its line — boosted by the support of Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle. Sperry has also created Bionic, a line of shoes made of yarn spun from recycled plastic recovered from marine and coastal environments. Adidas Parley shoes, on the other hand, incorporate yarn featuring Parley Ocean Plastic, made from recycled waste intercepted from beaches and coastal communities before it reaches the ocean.
Watch FN’s tips on how to polish your shoes with some bubbly.
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