Allbirds is taking it dedication to environmental protection to the next level. The company has announced the world’s first net zero carbon shoe, called the M0.0NSHOT Zero. The new shoe is completely net zero when it comes to carbon emissions, not only in its materials, but also in its manufacturing.
The M0.0NSHOT Zero is high-top knit wool shoe, and while it’s only being produced in a limited-edition 500-unit run, it certainly sets the stage for more environmentally-friendly shoes from Allbirds in the future.
“M0.0NSHOT Zero is the ultimate pursuit of product purity, stripping away everything superfluous to allow the wool to be the hero,” said Jamie McLellan, designer at Allbirds. “We needed to find ways to use more regenerative wool to help us counter other more stubborn parts of the carbon equation. As a result, we used wool to wrap the entirety of the upper and the midsole, giving the shoe a modern and monolithic look that feels fitting for footwear of the future.”
The M0.0NSHOT Zero shoe is made from a carbon-negative wool sourced from a farm in New Zealand that sequesters more carbon than it actually emits thanks to its regenerative practices such as native plantings and forest protections. The farm, called Lake Hawea Station, is known for its regenerative growing techniques. Some of the other materials used in the shoe, like the bio-based midsole foam, do involve carbon emissions –however Allbirds says that the emissions from those materials aren’t enough to put the shoe into net-positive emissions, when you factor in the net-negative emissions from the wool farm. This allows Allbirds to reach net-zero carbon without purchasing carbon credits.
Development began in 2022, with the goal being to create a net zero carbon shoe. At the time, that goal was considered a bit of a moonshot, considering the fact that the average sneaker has a carbon footprint of 14kg CO2e, according to Allbirds’ estimate.
Allbirds’ math may be a little creative when it comes to hitting that net zero carbon goal, but regardless, the manufacturing process is certainly a step forward for greener shoe production.
If you’re interested in getting a pair of M0.0NSHOT Zero shoes for yourself, they run $200 and are only available in five of the Allbirds stores, including New York, London, Dubai, Seoul, and Tokyo.
For more information, visit allbirds.com.
This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!
