Hi-Tec collaborates with Sealand Gear

London-born heritage brand Hi-Tec Sports is putting sustainability first in a new capsule collection in collaborating with Sealand Gear, the South African-based upcycle and ecocycle brand renowned for its environmentally and socially responsible products and accessories.

Designed and developed with Hi-Tec footwear licensee International Brands Group, the collection features an environmentally conscious limited-edition release of Hi-Tec’s iconic Sierra Re:Flex trail shoe, which marks Sealand’s footwear debut.

The trainer is featured alongside a collection of everyday travel bags and accessories that emphasises the “city-to-trail functionality of both brands”.

Manufactured using a combination of upcycled materials and various natural, plant-based composites, the collaboration will be the first sustainably focused capsule collection for Hi-Tec, and is part of the brand’s long-term sustainability plan and commitment to responsible sourcing and supply chain transparency.

“With global distribution over 40 years, Hi-Tec has demonstrated its unique ability to continuously innovate,” said Henry Stupp, chief executive officer of Apex Global Brands, which owns Hi-Tec. “Sustainability – whether that be in the manufacturing process or sourcing of materials – is a demand from the consumer that we are committed to delivering. By partnering with Sealand, a brand that has put social and environmental responsibility at the forefront of everything they do, we’re confident that this capsule collection will deliver sustainable products that impact our customers, as well as, help shape the practices of the industry at large.”

Jasper Eales, co-founder and creative director of Sealand, added: “The collaboration represents the coming together of like-minded brands to make a genuine positive change to our industries.

“We have embraced this opportunity to work with a global shoe brand, who has strong heritage roots in our home country, South Africa, while at the same time build product to last. Visually our brands speak to a similar urban outdoor audience, so we have kept this in mind and created a trail sneaker and range of bags that can walk the streets or the mountains with the same ethical style. We are pleased to see how our small business from, Cape Town South African, can lend itself to inspire and influence bigger business to improve and best protect the planet.”

The collaboration will be available to buy from summer 2020 at select retailers worldwide.

Image: courtesy of Hi-Tec