UNLESS Collective Restocks Its DEGENERATE Sneaker

The DEGENERATE is the latest offering from UNLESS (which launched its plant-based apparel collection in late 2021) designed to attack the problem of plastic waste in the fashion industry. More than 24 billion pairs of shoes are made every year and 300 million pairs are thrown away. The vast majority of shoes are made with plastics and other petrochemicals, which break down into harmful micro-plastics that find their way into our rivers and oceans, our food and even our bodies.

The UNLESS DEGENERATE is made with 100% plants and minerals and zero plastic and is created to harmlessly decompose at the end of its life to birth something entirely new. It is the first product to feature all of Natural Fiber Welding’s (NFW) revolutionary plant-based material technologies that are durable enough for outsoles and soft enough for cushioning goals.

The DEGENERATE combines NFW’s PLIANT™ for the outsole, TUNERA^™ foam for the internal midsole, CLARUS® for the vamp and quarter, and MIRUM® for the eyelet and mudguard, along with low-impact textiles like linen, cotton embroidered lace tips, coconut husk, tencel and thread. Everything about this regenerative sneaker, from the plant-based leather to the natural rubber outsole to the tips of the laces, is made entirely from plants and minerals.

“We believe that the time is now for the fashion industry to start producing products with the end in mind,” said Eric Liedtke, CEO and Co-founder of UNLESS Collective. “With The DEGENERATE, we have proven you can create a sneaker that not only pushes the boundaries of style and design, but also sets a new standard for true sustainability in fashion through our regenerative creation model.”

Meet “Dee,” Star of UNLESS Collective’s “Keep It Growing” Sneaker Campaign

UNLESS Collective is committed to making lasting environmental change throughout the fashion industry, and the restock of The DEGENERATE is just the beginning. To support the brand’s launch into footwear, UNLESS unveiled a marketing campaign starring Dee – a rowdy, plant-based, tattooed, green puppet who is on a mission to save the planet from the impacts of plastic waste.

As the star of the Keep It Growing campaign, which will run throughout social and digital media channels, Dee hosts his own talk show in the “land of regeneration” where he chats with guests who are just as passionate about protecting the environment, including stylist/activist Karla Welch, hip hop artist/force of nature Xiuhtezcatl, foraging teacher/enviro sci enthusiast Alexis Nikole (aka “@blackforager”) and pro surfer Kalani Robb.

Follow the campaign on UNLESS Collective’s socials (@unlesscollective on Instagram and Tik Tok) and get ready to be inspired and entertained as Dee and his guests tackle the most pressing environmental issues of our time as they live by two rules: “Don’t feel bad” and “Always Keep it Growing.”

The UNLESS DEGENERATE is available in off-white and black colorways for $139 at UNLESSCollective.com.

For more information on UNLESS Collective and The DEGENERATE, please visit www.unlesscollective.com.

About UNLESS Collective

UNLESS is a regenerative fashion company.  UNLESS makes statement clothing and footwear from all plants, no plastic and operates the world’s first regenerative fashion platform — connecting material, design, manufacturing and composting to use plant-based innovation and production ingenuity to solve for a plastic-free future.  Visit https://unlesscollective.com for more information.

SOURCE UNLESS Collective