Balena – a company specializing in the creation of advanced, biodegradable polymeric materials, has announced a collaboration with designer Kitty Shukman, as part of a 3D printing project for ecological footwear. Shukman created concept flip flops, which she 3D printed from Balena’s BioCir material, which is the first fully compostable and biodegradable elastomer for the fashion industry.
The ‘Roots’ flip features branches and stems integrated into the upper with the outsole, creating a unique effect of organic tree roots wrapping above the foot. Shukman deliberately designed the left and right shoes differently, so that they had different shapes and emphasized the concept of roots growing organically above the feet. Designs would not be possible to materialize without the use of 3D printing technology, which allows for the greatest geometric freedom of all available manufacturing methods.
The production process of BioCir is highly scalable and all products made with it undergo a responsible end-of-life cycle through a biological recycling mechanism. This involves complete decomposition and biodegradation in an industrial composting facility.
This is how David Roubach, founder and president of Balena, describes the collaboration with the designer: “Working with Kitty to create a truly extraordinary (…) product highlights the magic that happens when you put the right material in the hands of the right designer. Our combined creative vision has made that the dream of sustainable, scalable 3D printing has become the next step forward, and we hope that leading fashion brands will take a step in the same direction in the near future.”
Source: www.balena.science
Photos: www.linkedin.com