Vivobarefoot finds “clear synergy” with Finisterre
30/04/2018
The partners have said the products in question – the Ultra III Bloom shoe, the Eclipse sandal, and a waterproof rucksack - are designed “to unleash natural movement over land and sea”.
The Ultra III Bloom, first released in 2017, is made using a flexible foam derived from potentially harmful algae. The foam was developed by San Diego-based company Bloom and is used in combination with traditional EVA to create a sustainable footwear material.
Vivobarefoot has said that each pair helps re-circulate 57 gallons of filtered water back into natural habitats, as well as preventing the equivalent of 40 balloons of CO2 being released into the Earth’s atmosphere.
“We discussed using recycled rubbers and old tyres within the footwear to begin with, then turned to algae,” explains Andrew Todd, Finisterre’s lead product designer. “We had made contact with Bloom previously to explore possibilities around developing fleece products made of the algae.”
“As the products were also to be worn in water, I wanted to take inspiration from our own wetsuits,” Mr Todd adds. “Materials and fabrics are always the biggest issues when collaborating, and generally we’ll push as far as we can physically go in terms of eco materials and how the products are to be produced.”
For his part, Vivobarefoot’s creative director, Asher Clark, said: “There aren’t that many brands, in particular UK brands, that have a similar value set to us, so Finisterre’s always been on our radar. There’s a clear synergy between our ‘feet-first’ design principles and surfing, which is often done barefoot.”
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