![]({
"default": "https://ddw.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/img-9471_1759395658_1800x1010.jpg",
"tablet-wide": "https://ddw.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/img-9471_1759395658_1280x720.jpg",
"tablet-small": "https://ddw.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/img-9471_1759395658_968x544.jpg",
"phone-wide": "https://ddw.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbs/img-9471_1759395658_680x.jpg"
})
From Waste to Sneakers explores sustainable footwear by transforming industrial waste into a mono-material sneaker. By experimenting with components and materials, the project created a full prototype that highlights the potential of reusing resources over producing new materials.
Process
The design process started by deconstructing a sneaker to understand its components and how each part contributes to comfort, structure, and identity. Each element, like the upper, midsole, and outsole, was then explored individually through material experiments using both personal and industrial waste. Plastic bags and leftover TPU materials from the industry were heat-pressed, woven, folded, and fused to study their behavior, flexibility, and potential for reuse.
By working hands-on with these materials, small-scale prototypes were developed to test their properties. The insights from these explorations were combined to create a complete sneaker made almost entirely from one type of waste material. The final design demonstrates how working with a single type of discarded material can lead to new aesthetics, production methods, and conversations about circularity in footwear design.
