Startup Makes 3D Compostable Designer Shoes In New Partnership

By Madison Karlin, NoCamels July 25, 2023 2 minutes

Balena's new slides, made in collaboration with footwear designer Kitty Shukman (Courtesy)

Israeli startup Balena, developer of the world’s first fully compostable and biodegradable shoe, has announced a new partnership with a footwear designer to create a unique 3D-printed shoe.

The company’s shoes are made of a combination of naturally occurring ingredients bonded by its compostable plastic BioCir, which lets them fully biodegrade when exposed to the specific bacteria and conditions of a compost facility.

Kitty Shukman, who previously designed footwear for the Yeezy brand (owned by rapper Kanye West), collaborated with Balena to create slides that look as though they have roots growing organically over the feet.

Shukman intentionally designed the left and right shoes to have distinct characteristics to make the roots seem more “organic” (Courtesy)

When the shoes reach the end of their life, owners can return the slides to be shredded, then they are planted back into the ground for full biodegradation at a local industrial compost facility, instead of tossing them into the garbage to be landfilled.

Within six months, they decompose completely, leaving only a green legacy behind.

“Partnering with Kitty to create a truly remarkable and circular product has underlined the magic that happens when you put the right material in the hands of the right designer,” said David Roubach, Founder and CEO of Balena.

“Our combined creative vision has taken the dream of sustainable, scalable 3D-printing another step forward, and we hope to see leading fashion brands take a step in the same direction in the near future.”

The fully compostable plastic can be made conventionally (a process known as injection molding) or by using 3-D printing. The non-toxic material can also be copied and pasted on a global scale, for other companies looking to reduce their ecological footprint.

“I continually strive to strike a balance between functionality, sustainability, and style, and working with the Balena team to envision this new design has helped me imagine a day when our fashion industry becomes truly circular”, said Shukman.

“I hope to see 3D-printing continue to leave its mark as a unique, bold, and sustainable medium in the fashion industry on its way to becoming climate neutral.”