Louis Vuitton launches renewable sneakers

I saw this post from Biofuel Digest about Louis Vuitton’s new limited edition Charlie sneakers for men ($2324 available starting 19th July). According to the article, most of the shoe’s outsole is made from recycled polyurethane, while corn-based bioplastic is incorporated into the upper. Shoelaces are made from waste plastic, and packaging is paper-based with vegetable ink.  With a price like this, I would think that high-end fashion houses such LVMH (the parent company of Louis Vuitton) could well afford the cost premiums from these renewable materials. On the other hand, those who can afford this type of luxury products will typically have a different end-of-life scenario that is more sustainable.

When I write my reports on Tecnon OrbiChem, I often try to get as much information on the type of materials used and the suppliers of these renewable materials. I might be wrong in some of my assumptions; this is where the blog’s readers’ comments come in handy. So let us take a guess and play pin the materials on the shoe with this one. According to the Louis Vuitton website, the Charlie sneaker is crafted from 90% sustainable materials: the upper is made from a mix of recycled and bio-based materials, while the outsole is made of bioplastic from renewable sources. The tongue features the LV upcycling logo.  Louis Vuitton’s commitment is that by 2025, 100% of its products to comply with an eco-design process and that 100% of its events and window materials are from reused or recycled materials.