Need to Know
20 : 06 : 19

Vancouver – Native Shoes has launched a sneaker made entirely from compostable plant-based materials.

The footwear brand is pioneering positive change in the industry with its Plant Shoe. The unisex style has been in development since 2017, with Native Shoes establishing the materials and techniques needed to achieve its goal of creating an entirely plant-based sneaker. Its components include textile uppers made from pineapple husks, a linen sockliner, a natural latex outsole made from lactae hevea and a lasting board made from eucalyptus pulp.

In the US alone, more than 300 million pairs of shoes end up in landfill each year, according to the brand. Of these, sneakers are the most impactful due to their use of plastic or chemically-treated components, which are tough to break down. Because of this, the brand is pledging that by 2023, the lifecycle of every pair of Native Shoes will be fully managed to ensure circular practices.

For more on how shoemakers are embracing sustainability, read our Sustainable Footwear Market.

UK – The Somerset-founded luxury brand is celebrating British pub culture with a series of gigs hosted at some of London’s most popular drinking spots.

The My Local series will see four pubs transformed into intimate gig venues, with Mulberry presenting British artists, poets and DJs at locations in west, east and south London. ‘We will be hosting a series of public gigs that capture the sense of community, democracy and general joviality found at your favourite local – with a Mulberry twist,' reads a statement from the brand. The events link to Mulberry’s autumn-winter 2019 collection, which takes inspiration from British pubs as melting pots of cross-generational and cultural happenings, as well as unpredictable fashion ensembles.

As luxury brands’ attitudes to access evolve, they are turning to touch points such as music to reach wider consumer audiences. With the My Local series free to attend, and tickets bookable through popular ticket platform Dice, Mulberry is positioning itself as the latest brand offering Auralux Experiences.

London, UK – With consumers increasingly conscious of the excess packaging and plastic associated with grocery shopping, new platform Useless is redirecting shoppers to zero-waste stores.

Created by ethical agency Nice and Serious, the Useless website helps shoppers find London-based stores offering loose or unpackaged produce, alongside refill services for home cleaning products and toiletries. With a simple map functionality, users input their postcode or select their borough to find nearby zero-waste stores. Each location is listed with a vibrant illustrated storefront, with a short blurb outlining its product range, information about its founders and company ethos.

Useless is also educational, providing users with insight into the impact of single-use plastics like water bottles and grocery bags. The site encourages users to buy a Survival Kit – a set of staple products to help them live waste-free, such as bamboo toothbrushes, menstrual cups and DIY shampoos, with links to various brands’ products.

For more on the ways consumers are reducing their reliance on plastic in the home, read our Refined Refillables microtrend.

In the past week, 73% of Millennial and Generation Z consumers in the US have purchased bread, and 63% a sweet baked item, according to a new report from the American Bakers Association.

In particular, these younger consumers regard ‘whole grains,’ ‘freshness’ and ‘natural ingredients’ as important and influential descriptors for baked goods and breads. In line with the Carb Revival that's being energised by high-end pasta restaurants and creative bakers, 75% of respondents say they are not deterred from eating bread because of its associations with carbohydrates, while an equal number are concerned about wasting bread.

Discover why the baking industry is turning to science to create bread that's gut-positive in our interview with Leo Campbell of the Modern Baker.