German sneaker brand Nat-2 designed a new line of shoes, made of a mixture of wool and non-food milk fibres.

In Germany alone, annually 2 million tonnes of milk are disposed of. This discarded milk is no longer suitable for consumption, but that doesn’t mean it cannot still be used.

From milk a protein called casein can be extracted, which can be used to make bioplastics, amongst other things. In the early 1900s, casein plastics were produced commercially as an alternative to materials such as tortoise shells and ivory, but its use diminished when oil-derived polymers were developed.

Nat-2 works with German company QMilk (find it in our collection here) that mixes casein with wool fibres to create a natural, silky soft material that is less scratchy than regular felt. The shoes are naturally anti-bacterial, humidity-absorbing and climate regulating. They are available in higher and lower models, and in grey and white shades.

Milk isn’t the first noteworthy material used in sneakers by Nat-2. Earlier, they used stone, wood, hay, coffee, fish leather, and mushroom mycelium to create sneakers.

Photos: Nat-2