Our coffee habits are starting to have a significant impact on the environment. For example, humans generate more than 250K tonnes of waste coffee grounds per year!
With this in mind, award-winning footwear company CCILU is turning coffee grounds into a vegan alternative to materials like leather and yarn to make sustainable rainboots called XpreSole Panto. Impressively, there are 15 cups of recycled coffee grounds per one pair of XpreSole Panto boots.
The coffee grounds are first collected and dehumidified to make the rain boots, then turned into pellets using proprietary patented technology. Some of those pellets are converted into thin yarns woven to create fabrics, while the remaining are added as additives in a unique injection molding process to produce the outsole and shell.
The XpreSole Panto rocks a slick contemporary design and has an impressive list of features, which include:
- Waterproof
- Dirt-proof
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Breathable
- Machine-washable
- High traction
In addition, the XpreSole Panto has won the A’ Design award, the Red Dot Best of Best, and the iF Design Award, this year.
Remarkably, the XpreSole Panto uses coffee in almost every part of the shoe, except for the laces made from 100% recycled PET bottles. On the inside, a removable and breathable insole made from flexible Ortholite foam and coffee yarn provides comfort while keeping your feet dry and fresh.
The XpreSole Panto’s inner lining surrounds your foot as it rests on the insole. This lining is packed with beneficial properties; it’s made from an anti-microbial, anti-odor, moisture-wicking coffee-infused fabric, woven together with Neoprene and Lycra to offer a 4-way stretch. In addition, the outer body uses a blend of recycled coffee grounds and Eco EVA, as well as the outsole or the base of the shoe that uses rubber pads for greater friction.
The XpreSole Panto ankle-boot design is ideal for wearing in the rain or mud. The rubber outsole offers more excellent traction than ordinary outdoor shoes on slippery surfaces. The waterproof and dirt-proof shell ensures your feet stay dry. If the boots get muddy, they can be easily cleaned in seconds by running them underwater.
In addition, moisture-wicking and breathable materials inside the shoe allow them to dry quickly. The best part of all, you can toss these rainboots into your washing machine once a month, and they will be as good as new ones! Overall, the XpreSole Panto aims to be a shoe that’s noticeably better, more comfortable, and easy to maintain, in addition to being sustainable by using recycled coffee as an additive.
The award-winning rainboots come in low-top and high-top styles and a variety of earthy colors. The shoes weigh only 230 grams, making them 1/3 of the weight of the average pair of boots. They are so light they can even float on water! The XpreSole Panto is currently on Kickstarter with a super early-bird price of $89, and for an extra $25, you get a pair of socks made from recycled coffee grounds too.
Last year, we saw another example of how the fashion industry can use coffee to become more sustainable and ethical. In the Autumn-Winter 2020 show at Milan Fashion Week, luxury brand Bottega Veneta had models walk down the runway in chunky boots made of coffee and sugarcane.
