The latest range of shoes from UK footwear brand Seven Feet Apart has surpassed its Kickstarter goal, nearly a month before deadline, meaning the shoe will get made. The campaign for the smart casual hybrid sneaker, called Flite, emphasises its eco-friendly bonafides, which include sugarcane-based soles developed in partnership with Portugese outsole manufacturer For Ever. 

Sugarcane is good for the environment because, according to the company, it ingests so much carbon dioxide that its biofuels and biproduct materials are considered carbon positive. For Ever creates the soles for Flites by using sugarcane biproduct in the development of EVA foam. 

Every pair is also said to use eight recycled bottles, to weigh half as much as typical sneakers and to be designed with a collapsible heel counter so they can be packed flatly to save space. 

“Seven Feet Apart was born out of a desire to transform the way we travel by making sneakers that meet consumer needs as well as being sustainable and kinder to the planet,” said Matt Bagwell, the brand’s co-founder. “Flite is the result of collaborations across the industry and a collective desire to make better products.”

Flite shoes are the latest innovation from the company that launched in 2017 and already offers a small range of shoes and boots. The Flite Kickstarter campaign sought $33,500 and has thus far received around $40,000 in pledges. The shoes will retail around $210 and are expected to ship in April 2010.