Finnish footwear company Rens is hitting the ground running with its second sneaker made with reused coffee material, the Rens Nomad.
Jesse Tran and Son Chu founded the startup on Kickstarter in 2019 for the Rens Original, a waterproof, non-slip shoe for casual wear made with coffee byproducts and recycled plastic.
The Nomad is more of a sneaker style for the 'athleisure' audience.
According to Rens, its shoes incorporate coffee-based fibre for a quick-drying fabric with moisture-wicking, anti-microbial and odour-controlling properties whilst being lightweight, flexible, durable, and UV protective.
The Nomad model offers coffee-based laces, enhanced shock absorption, improved traction and a ventilated midsole. Recycled plastic is used to create the flexible, breathable and waterproof membrane and laces.
To date, the Kickstarter campaign to fund the Nomad's production has raised over $130,000 USD, with three weeks remaining. The sneakers, expected to launch early next year, will retail at US$179.
Tran and Chu source their coffee and shoe materials from suppliers in Taiwan, China and Vietnam.
For both the Original and Nomad models, Rens has partnered with ClimatePartner, which offers private verification to promote climate-neutral products.
The scheme involves calculating the carbon emissions generated through a product's value chain, targeted reductions in emissions, and contributions to legitimate carbon offset programmes.
Rens is fully committed to creating a sustainable sneaker. Since its first campaign, Rens now delivers small, all-in-one 100% recycled cardboard boxes, uses sea freight instead of air, and regional warehouses to shrink the companies footprint.
