Nat-2 presents vegan sneaker made from recycled aluminium foil

German footwear brand Nat-2 is dedicated to discovering unusual, natural materials for shoes, including stone, coffee grounds, corn, cork, mushrooms, fish leather, flowers, cannabis, red pepper, oxblood, leaves, moss and more.

Now the brand has expanded its offer with a ‘Reduceusecycle' line that aims to find new, never-before-used materials to reuse and upcycle, and presents a vegan sneaker made from used and then recycled aluminium foil.

To do this, Nat-2 has teamed up with the Israeli start-up for innovative textiles, Remeant. The result is the vegan, unisex Nat-2 “Sleek Alchemist” sneaker, whose upper is made from upcycled aluminium foil and reflective glass.

The lining consists of Nat-2 bio-ceramic and the removable insole is made from real cork, while the outsole is made from 100 percent rubber. The heel and tongue have a smooth, reflective glass surface.

The Nat-2 Sleek Alchemist sneaker was designed by Sebastian Thies, sixth generation shoe designer and the brand’s founder. The shoes are produced under fair conditions in a small family production in Italy.

The new Reduceusecycle line is not only about finding new, never-before-used materials for re- and upcycling, but also about accelerating new approaches and views on circular product design, solving existing problems and providing inspiration to rethink the way we consume.

“Is it really okay to use aluminum foil for mostly unnecessary purposes like as a sandwich wrapper that lasts an hour if we recycle it afterwards again?,” asks the label. “Or would it be better to wrap your lunch in a paper bag and use other natural materials for your footwear?”

The answer is “yes," of course, but until then and “while there are tons of aluminum waste every day, shouldn't we recycle it into new purposes and establish new aesthetics in fashion?,” continues Nat-2.

So it is not about avoiding the problem of textile-to-textile recycling and taking away other industries' waste, it is about showing sustainable solutions for waste recycling until these waste volumes have been reduced and avoided.

The Nat-2 Sleek Alchemist sneaker is available through the online shop Coilex via worldwide, carbon neutral delivery. No details have been given on the price yet.