From foams to fabrics and coatings to cushions, around 40 materials and fabrication methods are involved in the making of a typical shoe. Their development, production and transport – not to mention the synthetic glues that bind them together – often deliver a mighty kick to the environment.
Now, the OXMAN design lab has unveiled the O° shoe: “fully biodegradable” footwear that’s made entirely from polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). PHAs are organic materials produced by bacteria that consume carbon dioxide, methane or food waste, making them a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
The shoe features a knitted PHA yarn base on to which PHA outer layers are 3D printed. The process involves no petrochemicals or glues, says the company, and only bacteria-derived pigments are used as dyes.
