Jeremy Bank, founder of YY Nation. Image supplied.
Last October, we shared with you that footwear brand YY Nation had launched a Kickstarter for their sustainable shoes and now the first range of footwear has been released online. The sustainable shoe brand has launched here in Aotearoa New Zealand and also in the U.S. with its eco-friendly Legacy Footwear Collection, which includes the world’s lowest carbon footprint sneaker.
YY Nation’s Nimbo shoe is the hero product of the collection and was created following three years of intensive research and development. It is made from bamboo and algae and has the industry’s smallest carbon footprint of 5.45kg CO2e (ISO 14067 Certified), which has three times fewer carbon emissions than conventional sneakers.
The entire Legacy Footwear Collection has a carbon footprint ranging from 5.45kg CO2 emissions to 8.15kg CO2 emissions per shoe, which is 42% to 61% lower than conventional sneaker emissions of 14kg CO2. YY Nation shoes are Zero Carbon Certified 1 and projected to be carbon negative in 2022. The carbon footprint of all YY Nation shoes have been independently double certified by thinkstep-anz2 and Ekos™3.
“We are on a journey to make the world’s most sustainable shoes,” says YY Nation Founding Director Jeremy Bank. “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. With today’s launch, YY Nation is committing to a carbon negative future that combines rigorous sustainability standards with incredible design and comfort.”
The debut collection features four styles of shoes that are made from a combination of carefully selected, sustainable materials like wool, bamboo, pineapple husk, recycled post-consumer plastic, algae and sugarcane. All elements of a YY Nation shoe are designed to be reused and repurposed to minimise waste, with a long-term goal of being 100% sustainable.
“Every component of the Legacy Footwear Collection, from the soles to the laces to the packaging, is made with sustainable, natural or waste materials that would otherwise be landfill-bound,” adds Jeremy Bank. “We are conscious of how we bring things into the world but more careful of what we leave behind. We are proud to come from Aotearoa, New Zealand where we grew up enjoying nature as our playground, which is why we’re serious about protecting our land and oceans.”
The first four styles of the Legacy Footwear Collection are available in 12 colours (colour options vary by style). The uppers are available in soft, breathable certified Merino wool or woven bamboo/nylon mesh, the laces are made from post-consumer waste recycled plastics and the outsoles feature either sugarcane or algae combined with recycled rubber – a combination that can withstand any environment.
YY Nation shoes retail from $168 to $198 and are available in whole and half sizes ranging from US sizes 3.5 – 15 for men and 5 – 13 for women.
Images by Dana Scruggs and supplied.