This project is exploring the environmental impact of skate-shoes and how they could be rethought to implement more sustainability. During the process it got clear, that the knowledge about the shoe industry is crucial to re-think such an object, but at the same time a topic that can't be fully understood in such a short time. Nevertheless, I gained a solid knowledge about the Industry and what it takes to try making sport shoes from scratch.
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skate-shoes lose up to 40g of material
how do we define sustainability in the context of skate-shoes ?
linear
re-use
repair
circular
regenerative
regenerative/circular
The concept of sustainability should not be implemented by simple copy / past. We need to take in consideration the geographic, cultural, financial possibility and behavior of the consumers. An EU based production line with local materials should not be implemented in to other markets without the calculation of i'ts sustainable impact, may there is a more efficient solution with production lines and material that fit the local industries. If we talk sustainability, we do not only talk about our planet but as well about people and their rights. In such examples I like to talk about the production in relation to the cosmos, since the word cosmos is being understood as all-universal. Of course there are many more factors like scaling, that influence the results of calculations doe to achieve more sustainable solutions.
4 sustainable concepts for skate-shoes
- monomaterial
- regenerative
- patching
- it is, what it is
monomaterial concept
We use the short lifespan as a positive philosophy, instead of working against it.
+ frequent Material loop:
The short lifespan ensures a permanent material flow for re-manufacturing
+ economic interest:
The short lifespan ensures regular income to develop further concepts.
+ healthy feet:
We can as well question the shock absorption from jumps and may innovate this by using generative design programs to construct small, single parts since we can give shape to the material through different production processes.
+ easy patching:
If we use the same material to patch, which is used in the production, we create a much more synergetic material fusion. In which case the patching would be much less toxic, much faster and may lead to creative expression through the skateboarding culture.
+ ownership relation:
Maybe it is about time to change the ownership system. Instead of buying things, we just rent the essentials we need for their very predicted purpose.
In this design, the shoe is visually brought down to its basics. Some protection or construction can be found on the outside to give the shoe a more technical look. In this context, it is significant, that we talk about a skate-shoe and not a fashion object. It is made, designed and constructed to be skated and to lower the impact of skate-shoes in relation to environmental issues.
This prototype has no glue, all parts are brought together through heat and pressure. I'm aware that the industries have many complex processes like direct injection or fused gas injection molding. Nevertheless, in this stage of the project it was important to me, to really work with the material instead of making renderings. More processes and visual aspects trough drawings can be found in the documentation.
