Allbirds unveils the world’s first net-zero carbon shoe
©Allbirds
Sustainable footwear brand Allbirds have unveiled what it is calling the world’s first net zero carbon shoe alongside an entire toolkit to allow the rest of the footwear industry to copy its innovation. The high-top ‘M0.0NSHOT' boasts a carbon footprint of net 0.0 kg CO2e, which is about 14 kg CO2e based on the brand’s calculations that it adds will be achieved without relying on a single carbon offset.
The ‘M0.0NSHOT’ utilizes a lot of the brand's learnings in recent years and features its innovative midsole SuperLight foam, a carbon-negative bio-based midsole foam made with sugarcane that is 70 percent bio-based content, compared to most industry foams that are primarily synthetic material. While the carbon-negative bioplastic eyelets are made from microorganisms that convert methane into a polymer that can be molded like plastics, without the corresponding carbon footprint, and the upper is made from carbon-negative regenerative wool sourced from Lake Hawea Station.
In addition, Allbirds adds that the shoes, which will be launching commercially in spring 2024, will also have the most carbon-efficient packaging they’ve ever had by using vacuum-packed in sugarcane-based polyethylene, a carbon-neutral material that will reduce weight and space required for transportation.
The innovative sneaker was unveiled at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen, where Allbirds’ co-founder Tim Brown offered up an open-sourced toolkit to the ‘M0.0NSHOT’ methodology, detailing every step of the process, including materials, manufacturing, transportation, end-of-life, and carbon footprint calculation.
Following the M0.0NSHOT’s reveal at the Global Fashion Summit, Allbirds will be showcasing the sneaker exclusively at Selfridges in London as the brand takes over the department store’s Wonder Room with a carbon-themed pop-up from July 3 to August 6.
