The shoe industry has a massive carbon footprint. That’s why Reebok is now creating shoes using plant-based materials to clean up both production and post-consumer use in an industry that typically relies on petroleum in manufacturing.

In addition to using 100 percent organic cotton for the shoe’s upper, Reebok’s latest sneakers use a corn product to create a bioplastic sole and castor bean oil for the insole. Reebok takes the environmentally friendly process one step further by composting old shoes for use in the production of future products. The shoes from this environmentally-friendly sneaker line is the first ever to be certified by the USDA as containing 75 percent bio-based materials.

Check out the article below to learn more about the shoe’s production and how Reebok’s technology can be applied to improve the sustainability of the 20 billion shoes produced globally each year.

EDITORIAL UPDATE: Following a successful launch, the first run of the new NPC UK Cotton + Corn sneaker is currently sold out. Company representative Lizzy Manno reports that Reebok does not yet have a date for when the shoes will be in stock again, but we certainly can’t wait until these plant-based sneakers are back on the market.