Rens launches World’s First Crowdfunded Climate Neutral Sneakers–designed by customers and created for performance
Whether jogging, trail running, or playing a basketball match with your friends, a good pair of performance sneakers are a must. Even more so if these sneakers are also kind for Mother Nature. The Helsinki-based eco-startup Rens, launches today the 3rd of August their new vegan, waterproof sneaker engineered for performance, which will be produced completely climate neutral from coffee grounds and recycled plastic.
Rens, the sustainable fashion brand based in Helsinki launched their every-day sneakers made from 21 cups of coffee waste and 6 recycled plastic bottles back in Summer 2019. This time, after actively listening to their customers’ feedback, the sneaker label launches today, 3rd of August, their second crowdfunding campaign with NOMAD, a new model that is explicitly designed for high-performance activities. The new vegan sneaker is ideally created for recreational sport use and will be the world’s first climate neutral sneaker on Kickstarter.
Combining sustainability with performance
As with the Originals, Rens continues to use their signature waste-based materials. The upper of NOMAD will be made from coffee waste and recycled polyester and the sneakers will feature a 100% waterproof nanomembrane fully made from recycled polyester to keep the feet dry while practicing any sports activity, under any weather conditions.
In order to enhance the performance experience, Rens self-developed a revolutionary technology included in the sole: the Skystepᵀᴹ System. Skystepᵀᴹ is a ventilation system that increases the airflow within the interior of the shoe. Rear air intakes are placed at the heel and underfoot to deliver a burst of air with every step while providing total waterproof protection. Air travels from the intakes through the ventilation channels in the midsole to flush warm air out on the underfoot exits and pull fresh air in from the rear intakes. The Skystepᵀᴹ System also removes excess material from the sole which makes NOMAD even lighter.
The outsole, made from natural rubber, offers maximum traction in any terrain – whether it is a sports field, hiking trail, or the urban jungle. With fully recycled laces, runners will receive excellent support with reactive padding on the heel, metatarsal, and forefoot. An outer heel supper will also be attached to the rear of the sneaker, which will provide higher flexibility.
Sustainability is Rens core value
Since Rens launched their Originals in 2019, they have been able to recycle over 250,000 plastic bottles and 750,000 cups of used coffee, bringing them closer to their goal of becoming the world’s leading sustainable athleisure brand.
From the very beginning, Rens has been researching and developing solutions to reduce the sneaker production impact on the planet. Rens only uses GRS, FSC and RCS certified materials from the first step of the production until the last-mile shipping in order to reduce climate footprint. This time, Rens joins up with Climate Partner – a recognized environment consultancy company – in order to reduce and offset the climate emissions produced during the manufacturing process to get the world’s first crowdfunded climate neutral sneaker.
Putting the customer first
Rens decided to actively incorporate their customer’s feedback into the design process of the new performance sneaker NOMAD. Jesse Tran, Co-founder, and CEO of Rens, says: “With the new model, we are continuing our mission to promote sustainable fashion with technology and innovation. We are particularly pleased that we were able to include the feedback from our previous customers in the development of the NOMAD, who explicitly requested a performance sneaker. “
