Morjas Goes Green With First Sneaker Made With Plants
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Morjas is taking a step into vegan footwear with the launch of its latest shoe.
Dubbed, “The Plant Sneaker,” the model adapts the Swedish footwear company’s Court Sneaker silhouette first introduced by the brand in 2023 and swaps the upper with one made with plant-based materials. The new shoe is 100 percent certified by The Vegan Society and features plastic-free stitching and detailing, the company noted.
According to Morjas founder Henrik Berg, the Plant sneaker’s upper is made with Mirum, a 100 percent plastic-free material created by Illinois-based Natural Fiber Welding (NFW). Mirum consists of organic ingredients – such as coconut husks, naturally occurring rubbers and pigments, the company noted.
In an interview with FN, Berg said the shoe comes after years of research and development on finding the right materials for the project.
“We started about two years ago with just familiarizing ourselves with the space,” Berg told FN. “There are quite interesting things going on in the plant-based material category. First, we tried cactus leather, but it couldn’t shape to our last properly. But we think it would be great for small leather goods. We then tried mushroom leather, but it is closely linked with major footwear brands at the moment and didn’t really match our needs as a smaller company. So, we landed on NFW, and it’s been quite fun to work with them on the development of this shoe.”
And while the upper may be made with natural materials, the new sneaker isn’t 100 percent plastic free. The shoe’s sole is made from TPU rubber – a decision that was made by the Morjas team to ensure durability and comfort.
“We don’t want to go out and say we created this futuristic kind of shoe,” Berg said. “It’s a small steppingstone towards a bigger vision of offering more plant powered alternatives for the future. We are quite proud of where we are and launching our first shoe of this kind.”
The launch comes at a busy time for Morjas. In June, the company announced it would supply the formal footwear for Team GB (Great Britain) at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. That same month, the brand hosted its first New York City pop-up shop in what Berg told FN was a “big moment” for the company.
The pop-up marked the shoe brand’s latest retail endeavor after opening its first physical store in its hometown of Stockholm, Sweden last summer. The 990-sq.-ft. flagship dubbed “Casa Morjas,” has a home-like atmosphere and serves as the physical reflection of the brand’s Spanish and Swedish roots.
What’s more, Morjas also introduced a new boat shoe, espadrille, driving shoe, deck shoe and sneaker this spring – adding to its offering of best-selling penny and Belgian loafers.
The Plant Sneaker, which retails for $300, is now available at morjas.com and the brand’s Stockholm flagship store.
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