Ugg launches footwear collection made from plant-based materials

US footwear brand Ugg has launched a new collection made from plant-based materials.

The dual-gender Plant Power Collection features three of Ugg’s popular styles reimagined with more sustainable materials, including Tencel branded Lyocell fibres.

The brand’s Fluff Sugar Platform and Fluff Sugar Sandal looks have swapped out their soles - which are traditionally made using petroleum-based materials - with SugarSole, a foam derived from renewable sugarcane. The fluff on top of the shoes is made from Tencel Lyocell, a fibre made of wood pulp from responsibly harvested trees.

The third shoe, the Neumel Natural, adapts the look and feel of the brand’s best-selling Neumel chukka, but uses plant-based materials like cozy lining with Tencel Lyocell. Its handcrafted, small-batch soles are made of Lactae Hevea latex harvested from the Hevea rubber tree, while its upper is woven from a blend of 55 percent cotton and 45 percent hemp.

It follows the launch of Ugg’s sustainability platform ‘Feel Good’ launched in October 2020.

“At Ugg, we are committed to doing our part to combat climate change,” said Ugg president Andrea O’Donnell in a statement. “Our design team took inspiration from our iconic styles and created new silhouettes made from carbon-neutral, plant-based materials. The resulting Plant Power Collection tells a story about what is possible, and it is an exciting step in on our journey towards a more sustainable future.”

Image: Ugg