Converse Renew Recycled Knit: Sustainable Footwear
Rethink, Recycle, Renew; Converse’s latest additions to its ever-expanding Renew Collection. Following in the footsteps of associates Nike with their uptaken interest in post-consumer recycled innovation, the 2019-debuting Converse Renew Line welcomes a trio of new-season silhouettes into its revolutionary compendium. Variations of a Converse Renew Chuck 70 Recycled Knit and a Renew Recycled Knit Hi join the environmentally-minded rosta to provide modernised and eco-friendly designs of time-honoured, hi and low-top All Star staples.
Much like adidas’ Parley Ocean Plastic® campaign and Nike’s ‘Move to Zero’ initiative, Converse’s experimental Renew Collection joins the pioneering sportswear line-up in its mission to protect both the planet and the future of sports. Focused predominantly on giving waste a second life in support of sustainable, progressive function, Converse pairs their courtside lineage with contemporary methods to honour their ageless sense of appeal. Emblematic of a new era in Converse design, the Renew Line strives to find solutions to generic product creation through the inventive use of both post-consumer and post-industrial waste. Three main sub-segments combine to construct the collection as a whole, with Renew Cotton, Renew Denim and Renew Canvas all doing their part in the mindful mastering of future-focused Converse icons.
Differing from 2019’s Beyond Retro x Converse CTAS 70’s Ox and CTAS 70’s Hi Renew Denim release in its centralised focus on transforming cotton-canvas waste into a creative composite under its aptly-titled Renew Cotton moniker, Converse continues to push the boundaries of neoteric styling regardless of season. Block-tone Converse CTAS 70’s styled with ‘Life’s Too Short To Waste’ embroidery arrived just a few months later, with more recent announcements, such as the Chuck Taylor All Star Crater and All Star Crater Knit High Top exploring the use of Regrind technology - the same Space Waste Crater Foam seen across Nike’s innovative Space Hippie Collection.
An amalgamation of both sustainability and simplicity, the Converse Renew Recycled Knit Hi offers a futuristic interpretation of the ageless 1917 court classic. Knitted uppers crafted from PET, Renew cotton and post-consumer recycled polyester make for a lightweight and summer-friendly socklike wear, with the multi-tonal flecked Regrind rubber outsole styled with semi-translucent foxings and a tonal toe-cap to match. An 8-eyelet recessed puffy lacing system secures the high-rise fabric knit tongue across the natural arch of the foot, with an eco-minded OrthoLite sockliner providing cushioned comfort from first wear. In line with its modernised remastering, debossed sewn-in Chuck 70 ankle crest detailing complements the off-white design, with a simple Converse All Star tab across the shape-retaining rear collar for a textured yet untarnished sign off.
For fans of Converse’s low-collared variant, the Converse Renew Chuck 70 Recycled Knit Ox arrives in a duo of colourways ahead of SU21. Subtle military undertones bode well with its functional all-knit Renew cotton construction, whilst the same multicoloured Regrind rubber outsole seen across the sole of its high-top sibling keeps traction and tread in line with visionary direction. Intricate perforations across the entirety of the design are in keeping with its efficient remodelling, whilst its eco OrthoLite interior and sock-like fit ensure a lighter and more flexible wear to suit the demands of any modern-day setting.
A collection that inspires both consumers and creators to think about how they use and discard materials, Converse Renew’s tagline of ‘There’s Always A Way To Renew What We Do’ sets itself the challenge of addressing the possibilities of circular design in respect to manufacturing conformity. Rehashing archival favourites through the purposeful use of environmentally-friendly fabrics and formative methods, Converse continues to branch out and bring all-new credibilities to its Chuck Taylor legacy.
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