New Zealand Shoe Brand Launches Lowest Carbon Footprint Sneaker In The World

New Zealand based sustainable shoe brand, YY Nation, has launched what it calls the lowest carbon footprint sneaker in the world. The sustainable sneaker, Nimbo, has a carbon footprint of 5.45 kilograms CO2e, which has three times less carbon emissions than typical sneakers.

The shoe style, which is a part of the brand’s Legacy Footwear collection, is made from materials that are designed to minimise waste. The materials include bamboo, algae, merino wool, pineapple leather and sugarcane.

Image Source: Yynation.com, Instagram/yynationofficial

YY Nation’s Legacy Footwear collection also includes the Alto (a high-top boot), Cirro (a lace-up shoe) and Strato (a skateboard-style shoe). Made from the same materials as the Nimbo, the entire collection has a carbon footprint ranging from 5.45 kilograms CO2, to 8.15 kilograms CO2. This range is about 42 to 61 per cent lower than the average sneaker emissions of 14 kilograms CO2.

Founding director of YY Nation, Jeremy Bank said in a statement, “We are on a journey to make the world’s most sustainable shoes. While we’re off to a good start, good is not enough. These are the worst shoes we’ll ever make in terms of carbon footprint but are a leading sustainable option. It feels great to be making a difference, we just want to keep doing better.” YY Nation shoes are already Zero Carbon Certified and aim to be carbon negative by 2022.

The collection, which is the result of three years of research and development, is available for purchase in the U.S. in about 12 different colours.