As far as sustainability is concerned, the source and origin of material is equally as important as the material itself. These investigations in footwear utilize only organic materials: recycled burlap sacks used to ship coffee beans, silk, and leather. Burlap is a very breathable fabric made up of coarsely woven jute and vegetable fibers. Jute is one of the cheapest natural fibers and second only to cotton in abundance and variety of uses. Using the imagery and text that already comes printed on the coffee bean bags; a complementary silk interior lining was selected to match. Both silk and leather have the potential to be sustainable materials as well. The key is managing these resources sustainably. Leather is a byproduct of the cattle industry and is thus utilizing a use for the whole. Silk is a renewable resource, and is completely biodegradable.
The intention is twofold, to use each material in their most suitable application and to discover if recycled burlap sacks can be elevated into a luxuriously perceived fabric. Leather is typically thought of as being the quintessential luxurious material; often its more positive qualities go overlooked. Serving as the soles of the shoes, leather is remarkable for its durability. The silk serves as the lining because of its soft texture, and also for its strength. And the Burlap makes up the exterior, where its rough texture, breathability, and sturdiness are better suited. Aesthetically, only a small strip of silk is visible on the upper exterior of each shoe, this ties together all the shoes in the collection visually, and forges a new way of observing the typically unappealing burlap: in both contrast and accord.
The shoes are made using no adhesives, just simple stitching. The soles can be easily replaced and the shoes can be disassembled very easily at the end of the product's lifespan. The forms are as simple as total functionality would allow and use patterns only requiring two or three pieces, the shoes can be made economically and with very basic industrial processes.
