Rens aims to promote sustainable fashion through technology and innovation, and its positioning as a sustainable sneaker brand not only extends influence of this startup to other areas, but also is popular among consumers.
Only 0.2% Ingredient Of Coffee Beans Is Used In Each Cup Of Coffee
As reported, an average of 6 plastic bottles and the coffee grounds from about 21 cups of coffee are needed in making each sneaker. Its upper is made of filaments transformed from the mixed coffee grounds and plastic bottles through the high-pressure process, while the sole is made of other recycled plastics. Weighing about 400 - 650 grams, this shoe is quite light, and has good waterproofness and air permeability brought by its waterproof film made of recycled polyester. Supporters, which books the shoes, can get an early discount price of USD 89, while the final retail price in the market will be USD 179.
The shoes are made of coffee grounds, on the one hand, thanks to the natural antibacterial properties of coffee materials that the shoes can have an effective bacteria and odor resistance, strong elasticity, as well as the favorable quick drying and ultraviolet protection functions. On the other hand, the company hopes to reduce the impact of food waste on the environment through it as a new way to release the potential of coffee grounds. Jesse Tran, co-founder of Rens, said that large amounts of coffee grounds are produced globally every year, however, its treatment and recycling still have blind spots.
According to the estimation of the U.S. National Coffee Association, more than 2 billion cups of coffee are consumed every day in the world, but only 0.2% ingredient of coffee beans is contained in each cup, leaving 99.8% of coffee grounds treated as garbage that the coffee industry produces millions of tons of waste every year. The mainly treatment of coffee waste is landfill. Even though environmentalists have highly praised the coffee grounds compost, large-scale coffee landfill is a hotbed for breeding methane, of which the greenhouse effect intensity is 28 times of carbon dioxide.
Explore The Potential Of Waste And Develop Their New Functions
So far, Rens has recycled more than 250,000 plastic bottles and coffee grounds from 750,000 cups of coffee. Meanwhile, the company has also cooperated with ClimatePartner, a carbon offset company, to measure and neutralize carbon emissions in the raw material selection, packaging, production, transportation and recycling phase of shoes.
This year, this company's shoes have won the Red Dot Innovative Design Award in the international product design competition. Released in June, the research from Mintel, a British market research company, said that as sustainable fashion is increasingly focused and preferred by consumers, more and more clothing brands begin to produce clothes made of recycled materials, through which can the brand not only shape its image, but also get rich profits
▲ Coffee Grounds Sneakers, Picture from Rens official website
Source: Reporter Wang Yalin, Intern Reporter Ding Wen of Red Star News
Edited by: Guo Yu