Bags / Shoes & Accessories

There is a wave of rubber shoes overseas. According to luxury retailers, this simple and neutral waterproof shoe is the product of the "ugly shoe" trend, and has become popular due to the popularity of gorpcore (a practical outdoor wear style), and the demand has soared.

Bottega Veneta's Puddle rain boots debuted on the runway in the fall and winter of 2020, a new interpretation of the classic rain boots, using one-piece shoe shape and iconic bulky toe design to show fashion beauty, attracting the attention of global buyers. Since its release, Puddle's sales have soared and it is almost out of stock.

Gorpcore gets its name from "good ol'raisins and peanuts" (mixed dried fruits often eaten by hikers), which refers to outdoor casual and practical styles such as fleece and bright down jackets. It has been popular on the streets long before the epidemic. The popularity of rubber shoes has also benefited from this. Many designers and Internet celebrities have begun to tout the practicality and cool appearance of these boots.

Danish content creator Marie Jedig has collected several rubber shoes from brands such as Bottega Veneta, Céline, Stella McCartney for Hunter and Ganni. She believes that rubber shoes are a very practical choice, adding fun to wear and recognizing their contribution to environmental protection.

Cassie Smart, head of women's clothing purchasing at MatchesFashion, said that compared with last year, sales of rubber footwear have increased by more than 365%. Driven by brands such as Bottega Veneta, Ganni and Valentino, sales of their own rubber rain boots have also increased by more than 130%. Ssense, Mytheresa and LN-CC also said that they have achieved good results through this style.

Lyst said that since April, searches for rubber shoes have risen by 23%. According to data provided by Edited, the sales of most rubber rain boots in the autumn and winter of 20 years increased by 21% year-on-year.

Price is a key factor in the popularity of rubber shoes. Rubber materials are relatively cheap. Compared with other luxury goods, rubber shoes are more affordable. In the range of many people, Bottega Veneta's Puddle rain boots are about half the price of a pair of leather boots of the brand.

The brand said that this boot is the first time it has made a biodegradable polymer material, which can be degraded according to standard test methods under certain conditions, but did not disclose more detailed details of the material's recyclability.

Bottega Veneta also plans to launch a new iterative product in the autumn and winter of 2021, using an innovative recycled material thermoplastic polyurethane to make shoe soles. But its feasibility remains to be considered. Some scientists believe that the brand should focus on the research and development and use of compostable materials, and do not place excessive expectations on the biodegradability and recyclability of the materials.

Experts said that to meet consumers' expectations for sustainable development, brands still need to work hard.

The compostability of the material is more critical

For brands, the biggest uncertainty comes from the material itself.

Rubber is divided into two categories: natural rubber (latex extracted from plants) and synthetic rubber (petroleum-based artificial synthetic rubber). The collection of natural rubber does not harm the environment, and the juice of rubber is biodegradable, but the sustainability of raw materials cannot be the same. Chemical additives, such as oxidation catalysts or anaerobic bacteria catalysts, are added during rubber production and processing to make it easier to be decomposed by anaerobic bacteria. Rubber needs to be vulcanized in the process of making shoes, and its sustainable nature is destroyed. Therefore, brands should focus on the compostability of materials and test and verify the processing of items after the end of their useful life.

John Frazier, Hohenstein’s senior technical director, said: “Some big brands are beginning to realize that they need to handle poisons and chemicals carefully if they want to retain consumers and protect their brand image. If they want to promote the biodegradability of their materials, they must work hard. Improve its degradation. Major industries have begun to explore the closed-loop recycling of materials, but this is far more difficult than imagined."

Frazier said there are also challenges within the supply chain. Few brands can have the full capacity of the second or third level in the supply chain, so there may be management blind spots downstream on the supply side. But brands can choose to cooperate with companies with larger supply chains to achieve sustainable development goals.

There are also some brands that promise to pay more attention to the recycling of materials. Ganni’s sustainability and social responsibility officer Lauren Bartley said that the brand is working hard to promote its use of rubber to comply with the Global Recycling Standard (GRS) or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. Currently, Ganni's boots are made of 50% recycled rubber and 50% natural rubber.

Martin Mulvihill, co-founder and managing partner of Safer Made, said this is an important opportunity for the luxury goods industry. People's desire for luxury goods is unabated, and the huge profits of luxury brands give them huge room for innovation and development. New materials may be expensive, but they can bring new niche markets and win the favor of customers. Luxury companies need to adapt to this trend, and new companies will continue to iteratively push new ones and explore sustainable solutions.

Dio Kurazawa, founder of The Bear Scouts, a sustainability consulting company, said that "responsible fashion" has become a trend, and related technologies have also improved. Brands need to maintain honest communication with consumers. Although we are doing better and better in terms of material sustainability, materials cannot be completely degraded, and this information should not be concealed from consumers. At present, several manufacturers such as Bolflex have started to develop related solutions.

Over the years, under the influence of social media, the fashion cycle has been continuously shortened. Experts believe that the popularity of gorpcore and rubber shoes will continue, but the brand may not be able to achieve sustainable development goals in the process of quickly catching up with the trend.

Brands such as Bottega Veneta, Alyx and Carlotha Ray have begun to use rubber to make more comfortable footwear, such as pedals, slippers and sandals, indicating that this trend will remain strong. Brigitte Chartrand, vice president of women's purchasing at Ssense, said that Ssense will provide more styles of rubber shoes in the autumn and winter of 21, including Gucci's upcoming platform shoes and new styles of Merrell and Fear of God.

The gorpcore trend is prevailing, and major brands will also recognize the huge market for rubber shoes. If they want to join the market and get a share, they need to invest more in exploring the sustainable use of materials.