Dandelion rubber at heart of Cole Haan shoes

NEW YORK—Footwear and accessories brand Cole Haan has put "flower power" into action and launched its first sustainable shoe—made from dandelions.

The lightweight outsole of Generation Zerogrand II features patent-pending FlowerFoam—which helps absorb impact while delivering responsive cushioning and energy return—made from "a minimum of 25 (percent) natural dandelion rubber," Cole Haan said in a Feb. 10 statement.

The shoe's upper includes vegan microfiber suede made with 21 percent recycled content and reconstituted felt fabric made with 85 percent recycled plastic bottle (rPET) content.

The laces also are made from 100 percent rPET, Cole Haan added, and the shoe's footbed is made of Ortholite Hybrid patent-pending formulation, which includes 5 percent recycled rubber and 15 percent production waste foam.

The footwear also features a fabric topsheet made from 100 percent rPET, the statement added.

"This is a significant step for the Cole Haan brand," Chief Creative Officer Scott Patt said. "With FlowerFoam technology and our charter to create products with more naturally derived and recycled components, we are expanding our natural design philosophy."

The new sustainable shoe range is part of the company's "Change Forward" sustainability initiative, which represents the company's mission to actively seek naturally derived or recycled materials for its products and reduce waste through its supply chain, Cole Haan said.

"Cole Haan has pioneered a sustainable, performance outsole made from natural dandelion rubber," Brand President David Maddocks said. "We have been redefining footwear for nearly a century and we've always sought to bring innovative products to our consumers.

"Today, and tomorrow, we're now innovating for their environment through our Change Forward initiative. Our entire company is excited to bring this product to market and transform our product line through this initiative," he added.

Generation Zerogrand II, and more sustainable offerings, are available to purchase from Cole Haan online and select U.S. and international stores.

"We believe we all need to do our part to protect our planet. Cole Haan has always been and is, now, publicly committed to do our part in contributing to positive change going forward," Cole Haan CEO Jack Boys said.

European Rubber Journal contributed to this report.