ICEBUG
Eide Woolpower RB9X
Design: Karin Möller & Mariell Bjuhr
Category: Footwear
STATEMENT FROM THE JURY
»These sneakers are not only comfortable to wear, the amazingly breathable wool-felt-upper even sheds light drizzle«, one jury members explains about the Eide Woolpower RB9X from the Swedish footwear specialist Icebug. It is also very sustainable: the wool felt is made from production leftovers from the Swedish manufacturer Woolpower. The shoe is not designed for hiking or backpacking but will make your daily walks or travelling more pleasant.
PRODUCT USP
A wool sneaker made from recycled wool and a minimum of virgin plastics.
PRIMARY INNOVATION FEATURES
A wool sneaker is already a move away from using plastic, a wool sneaker made of upcycled wool is an even further step towards sustainability. Icebug made Eide by using felted wool from the Swedish wool brand Woolpower production scraps. Using a recycled wool instead of a virgin wool, contributes to upcycling a material that otherwise would go wasted, giving it a second lifecycle.
The use of plastics in the upper is reduced to a minimum. There is no foam or backing in any part of the shoe. The whole upper is solely made from recycled wool, except for an inner toe reinforcement made from recycled PET and harvested fish nets from the ocean.
Another great benefit of wool is the excellent material properties it provides. It has great insulation qualities and wicking capabilities, meaning the fabric easily wicks moisture away from the body. It also has natural anti-odor qualities.
INTENDED SPECIFIC END USE
Walking, lifestyle, every day in- and outdoors.
SUSTAINABILITY INFORMATION
Though wool is derived from a renewable resource (sheep), it does not mean that wool has zero environmental impact. The wool in the Woolpower material is recycled wool, to reduce water consumption, energy use, and the land needed for sheep grazing. Using recycled wool also minimizes the pollution of air, water, and soil as well as reducing CO2 emissions compared to virgin wool. The wool used is in the color that it already has from its first lifecycle, thus avoiding the need to add dying chemicals. This is why the recycled wool has some mixed colors, which gives it unique aesthetics.
The Woolpower material is made of mulesing-free wool from South American sheep.
PRODUCT MATERIAL
Upper: Recycled Woolpower felt. Inner reinforcement in toe made from Milspeed Oceanguard, that has a total of 12% recycled fishnet content and 45-48% recycled polyethylene.
Laces: 100% recycled PET with GRS certification.
Insock: 45% BloomFoam + EVA, lined with recycled Woolpower.
Midsole: Cushioning and energy returning BUGforce and 20% BloomFoam (total 10% algae).
Outsole: Super grippy and durable RB9X, 15% recycled rubber content. 15% is the maximum level of recycled rubber to maintain durability and friction of the outsole.
It is combined with normal nylon and spandex. It has 25% of recycled nylon. The reinforcement part is nylon ripstop with spandex.
Product weight: 200 g (USL7,5)
Available in stores: March 2021
Recommended retail price: 150€
