Belgian brand Komrads has recently launched its new APL collection – a gorgeous selection of vegan sneakers made from apple leather.
In 2015, life partners and entrepreneurial duo Mark Vandevelde and Greet Goegebuer founded Komrads with a single purpose – to create a sustainable cult brand rooted in current culture. And they’ve certainly achieved their dream; they’ve produced not only a comfortable and fashionable sneaker, but one built entirely from re-used and recycled materials in order to not cause any harm to the planet.
It all started when Komrads picked up and brought back to life the soviet sneaker from the Czech Boot Company, who discontinued their trademark model in 2009. Handmade and with an orthopaedic sole. These iconic sneakers keep true to their origins and are still produced in a factory in Partizánske Slovakia.
A sustainable sneaker and more
Fast forward a couple of years and after many trials, errors, sketches and designs, the launch of the APL has finally taken place! Made entirely from recycled and biological materials, and produced in Europe, the brand contributes to the future of slow fashion and puts sustainability at the top.
The fully sustainable sneaker has an outsole made of recycled rubber and the top of the sneaker consists of apple leather. The inner fabric and laces are made from recycled cotton and PET bottles. Even the glue and paint used are organic.
“We market a high-quality, comfortable and fashionable sneaker that does no damage to our planet. A sneaker for which we do not need to harvest natural raw materials. They consist entirely out of reused and recycled materials. We want to keep our ecological footprint under control. That is why we produce in Europe, so we limit ourselves to international transport at an absolute minimum! No socially unacceptable working conditions, cruelty-free and without destroying rubber plantation ecosystems. Why? Because we want to make this planet a better place to live."
Check out the full APL collection at Komrads!
The future is now.
