Photo: Nicholas Calcott, OXMAN
From foams to fabrics and coatings to cushions, around 40 materials and fabrication methods are involved in making a typical shoe, often delivering a mighty kick to the environment. Now, the OXMAN design lab has unveiled the O° shoe: “fully biodegradable” footwear made from organic materials produced by bacteria that consume carbon dioxide, methane or food waste, making them a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The shoe features a knitted PHA yarn base on which PHA outer layers are 3D printed. The process involves no petrochemicals or glues, and only bacteria-derived pigments are used as dyes. Founder and CEO Neri Oxman said the technology “seeks to minimize harm in its conception and nourish the environment in its afterlife”. The company is now exploring potential partners and investors to bring production of O° shoes – plus textiles – to scale and to market.
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