Recycled shoes are becoming a thing, just as much as say vegan shoes are. Many companies are trying to go sustainable by finding ways to create products from older materials that then do not go to waste. And welted shoe factories can be known to create a good amount of wastage. Especially the higher-end shoe factories as they cannot utilize all of the hide of leather while maintaining supposed ‘flawless’ shoes for their often over-demanding clients. But Paolo Scarfora has found a way to knock out a few birds with one stone, so to speak. He does this by utilizing undesirable leather for 1st-grade welted footwear to create something more ‘distressed looking.’ And it’s a brilliant idea.
It is brilliant for so many reasons. 1. He doesn’t create waste. 2. He is able to recoup lost money and 3. He is able to hit new clients with shoes that are a 180-degree turn from the magnificent handwelted Norwegian stitch masterpieces he normally creates. There is nothing not to like about the concept. Whether or not you might like the model and its price tag is another story. But I dare say that knowing Paolo and how his brilliant mind works, this is just the start and his recycled collection will start to churn out some brilliant pieces of art.
I personally would not wear the shoes in question, but I always love the idea of being creative and turning waste into actual art. Remember, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Here is Paolo’s treasure!
The shoes are not yet visible on his site, but you can email [email protected]
Learn more: https://www.paoloscaforanapoli.com/us/
Ug!
Just rename and relabel old lady fashion shoes as new recycled Fashion Future 2025 all year around active
Hahhaha
Not the prettiest but to each his own I guess 😉 someone will love them
I was under the impression that recycled shoes are all over the shopping malls 🙂 I mean those cemented crappy things made of “genuine leather” 🙂
To be more serious, I’ve recentley purchased a new Loake and then realize that it’s some sort of new “eco” line. The manufacturer claims that they’re made “with threads made from recycled bottles, premium leatherboard stiffeners made from veg-tanned recycled leathers, organic cotton laces, veg-tanned soles that use natural chrome-free tannins, and tanned linings that retain the soft and supple qualities of premium leather, while being kinder to the environment”. (description from Loake webstie)
Thank you for sharing Kamil!
Recycled shoes may not be as durable or long-lasting as shoes made with new materials. These shoes according to my point of view may not be as comfortable as shoes made with new materials, as the process of recycling can affect the structure and material of the shoes.
Thank you for sharing. I presume this might be one downside to them yes as natural animal hide was made to withstand nature