Biodegradable Shoes Offer Hope for Greener Future

Quick Smiles:

• OXMAN design lab unveils a shoe made fully from biodegradable materials derived from bacteria.
• The innovative footwear uses no petrochemicals or synthetic glues and is colored only with natural, bacteria-based dyes.
• Production aims to return shoes harmlessly to the earth, significantly reducing environmental impact.

Shoes have long contributed to landfill, but a new breakthrough could change that. The OXMAN design lab introduced the O° shoe, crafted using polyhydroxyalkanoates produced naturally by bacteria that consume carbon dioxide, methane, or food waste.

This eco-friendly footwear features a knitted base and a 3D-printed outer layer, harnessing sustainable materials with no need for synthetic glues or harmful chemicals. Even the pigments are sourced naturally from bacteria.

“The technology seeks to minimize harm in its conception and nourish the environment in its afterlife,” said Neri Oxman, CEO and founder of Oxman.

OXMAN is now seeking partners and investors to help bring these biodegradable shoes and sustainable textiles to a larger market, opening doors to a cleaner future.

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