Sustainable Shoes Designed With Plant Based Alternative Algae

VIVOBAREFOOT Partners with BLOOM to Make the First-Ever Molded Shoe, Made from Algae, the first plant based alternative to the petro-foams.

When we heard that one pair of VIVOBAREFOOT x Bloom algae shoes returns 57 gallons of clean water to habitat, we had to find out more about this game changing collaboration.

Sustainable Algae Shoes

London-based barefoot shoe company VIVOBAREFOOT partnership with San Diego based BLOOM has given birth to a shoe line created using algae biomass harvested from freshwater sources around the world. What is amazing, is that each pair of shoes can potentially reduce about 40 balloons worth of Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere.

Sustainable Shoe Alternative to the Synthetic & Petrochemical Foams

We are no strangers to VIVOBAREFOOT’s quest to make the perfect shoe. We have even written a review on Vivobarefoot’s Tracker FG. With innovation at the heart of their product, VIVOBAREFOOT was founded in 2012 by Galahad and Asher Clark. It is a company that prides itself on its sustainability practices by proudly using recycled, locally sourced materials in independently monitored factories. As for Bloom, it is a performance-based materials manufacturer based in Meridian, Miss. Founded in 2015, the American company offers the first sustainable alternative to the synthetic and petrochemical foams prevalent in today’s market. Their USP is that they have found a way of using algae biomass to help offset the significant use of petroleum ingredients found in conventional flexible foams.

Sustainable Algae Shoes

Excited about BLOOM’s Patented Algae Technology’s potential, Mike Van Drunen, CEO of Bloom said, “Our goal is to deliver the most performance-driven materials in the most environmentally-responsible manner. It is a goal we constantly strive to improve upon, and we are excited to collaborate with VIVOBAREFOOT on the new Ultra line.”

ALSO READ: Vivobarefoot’s Hiking Boot is Like The Tesla of Shoes

On working together on the VIVOBAREFOOT X Bloom Ultra shoe line, Galahad Clark defined it as “a true revolution for the footwear industry”. He continued, “(We have used) the first plant based alternative to the petro-foams in ubiquitous use. We are thrilled to be the first company to use BLOOM in our shoes and further our mission to make the perfect shoe… perfect for feet and minimal impact on the planet.” 

Sustainability No Longer Just a Fashion Statement

With many brands and startups making conscious decisions that are in line with ‘sustainable living’, it is no longer just about making a fashionable statement, it is slowly becoming a way of life. You can see this change in the game changing innovations that we have witnessed in the last few years. It is this thinking out of the box culture that is set to massively clean up the fashion industry.

Although VIVOBAREFOOT make men, women and children shoes, I am a little disappointed that this style of shoe is only available for men. That being said I know that just because something has been made for men, does not mean that I won’t adorn adorn it, as long as it is cute. VIVOBAREFOOT x Bloom Ultra shoes will become available for purchase in July 2017 on www.vivobarefoot.com

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Founding Editor in Chief at FashNerd.com | editor@fashnerd.com | Website

Founding editor-in-chief of FashNerd.com, Muchaneta is currently one of the leading influencers writing about the merger of fashion with technology and wearable technology. She has also given talks at Premiere Vision, Munich Fabric Start and Pure London, to name a few. Besides working as a fashion innovation consultant for various fashion companies like LVMH Atelier, Muchaneta has also contributed to Vogue Business, is a senior contributor at The Interline and an associate lecturer at London College of Fashion, UAL.