Biodegradable Sneakers
A sustainable design concept
Sneature by Emilie Burfeind is the sustainable sneaker concept. Sneakers are among the clothing products that are often discarded after a short lifespan. The complicated construction and the use of different materials (rubber, textile, various plastics, etc.) make it almost impossible and unprofitable to disassemble and recycle a pair of trainers after use.
In order to approach the problem and conceptualise a solution, a fundamental factor for the ecological properties of every product — the material was examined. The design is based on a series of material experiments with natural raw fibres.
The sneaker was segmented into functional and structural areas (membrane, transition, sole) in order to implement the tested materials in a suitable way, taking into account the functional properties of the different areas. Because of the possible integration into an industrial production process, the membrane — the integrative core of the shoe — was created using a 3D-knitting technique.
The membrane is a protein-based 3D knit (Chiengora), which transports the functional properties of flexibility, stiffness and air circulation in a „second skin“. The natural properties of the material also provide water absorption and release and anti-static properties. The membrane is manufactured in a knitting lab.
The transition from the membrane to the sole is formed by a thin layer of flexible bio-rubber/bioplastic. The junction area is water-repellent against splashing water or moisture from below and also protects the membrane in areas that quickly wear out. As the area is designed to be made of bioplastics, this material can be produced at home or in a maker‘s lab in the same way as DIY materials.
The project hopefully acts as a great inspiration for bigger shoe companies, who aim to create sneakers with a smaller ‘footprint’ — If a design student could create a sustainable shoe like this, let’s see what else is possible!
