German shoe company Nat-2 designed sneakers made from real coffee, while German shoe company Thies introduces a line of leather shoes tanned with olive leaves.
Coffee sneakers
Nat-2’s vegan, unisex sneakers are made from recycled coffee, coffee grounds and coffee plants. The coffee material is applied to a based layer, giving it a smooth and fine feel. The coffee’s texture remains visible, and you can smell the coffee. Depending on the shoe style, the material covers up to 50% of the shoe’s surface.
The outer soles are made using real rubber and the cork insole is padded and anti-bacterial. The suede-looking parts are made from recycled PET bottles, and the shoes have reflective glass details for a better visibility.
The patented coffee material was developed in Germany, and the sneakers are handmade in Italy.
For more of Nat-2’s innovative materials, click here.
Olive leather
Thies launched a line of footwear made from ‘Olivenleder’ or olive leather, leather is tanned with olive leaves. This patented Wet-green method uses the olive tree’s natural substance to ward off predators. The active ingredient is called OBE, which is recovered from the leaves using a similar method as brewing tea. The olive leaves are recovered after the harvest and are generally considered a waste material that is often burned. The vegetable tanning gives the leather unique and soft feel.
Thies’ line consists of men, women and children’s shoes. The children’s shoes are completely made from olive tanned leather, while the adult shoes feature a real rubber outsole.
Find Wet-green here in our collection.
Photos: Nat-2 / Thies