Converse’s next drop is made from 40 per cent recycled materials
WORDS BY MAGGIE ZHOU
What goes around really does come around.
Over the past year or so, the classic Chuck Taylor has been given a series of eco-upgrades under a Converse-led project, Renew. Each season, the Renew collections find innovative ways to breathe new life into recycled materials.
Past seasons have seen secondhand jeans, discarded plastic bottles, cotton canvas waste and regrind rubber all turned into brand-spanking-new footwear.
The latest iteration of Renew has now been announced, dubbed the Chuck Taylor All Star Crater. This time, the brand has drawn inspiration from parent company Nike, who has committed to a zero-waste and zero-carbon future through design-led initiatives. The All Star Crater takes elements from Nike’s newly-released Space Hippie, however, the revitalised Chuck Taylor has kept its signature Converse look and feel.
It wasn’t easy – the Crater took over 100 people collaborating together at the brand’s Converse Concept Creation Centre in Boston to get the design right.
Converse first had to ensure all non-negotiable aesthetic cues held firm. The toe cap, the foxing tape (the stripes that run across its base) and the pinstripes all had to stay true to the original All Star form.
The team then had to work out how to incorporate a slew of unconventional materials to create a 40 per cent recycled shoe that remained consistent with the look and feel of traditional Converse kicks.
The result boasts two innovative additions: Crater Foam for the sole and Morphlon for the canvas. Though they sound like something out of a sci-fi film, they’re actually more down-to-earth than you’d think. Crater Foam is a more sustainable alternative for soles as it’s made from 12 per cent recycled rubber. The rubber comes courtesy of Nike Grind, which offers a series of materials made from recycled surplus manufacturing materials and footwear.
The Crater’s upper is made from Morphlon, which is a blend of 50 per cent recycled polyester and 50 per cent recycled post-industrial waste scraps.
The result? A futuristic and fun, imperfectly perfect speckled sneaker delivered in three colourways. Ranging from a dark charcoal and chambray blue to a white canvas, all sneakers have been carefully finished with bright orange or fluorescent yellow stitching.
The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Crater will be available from July 23 online and at select retailers.
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