These Timberland Boots Are Made From Recycled Beach Plastic

Sustainable fashion is slowly but surely becoming more mainstream. What was once associated with “hippy fashion” has now flourished into an entire industry filled with cute and fashionable wares. Though the movement started with lesser known brands, better-known names are starting to get on the sustainable bandwagon and realizing they are good for sales as well as the planet. Big names like Stella McCartney, H&M, and Michael Kors have all recently made pledges to make more ethical fashion. And the newest fashion giant to join them is the company behind everyone’s favorite boot: Timberland.

Timberland has partnered with Thread to collect bottles from beaches in Haiti and use them to create the upper canvas in their boots. The process works by shredding bottles into flakes and creating a mixture that can be spun into a polyester-type fabric.

Timberland says the process is more expensive than buying comparable fabric, but it’s a move to promote sustainability, which will benefit the Earth. Beyond just cleaning up plastic from beaches, it also saves water and reduces the use of pesticides. In addition to boots, Timberland also creates backpacks using the recycled plastic. The initiative is said to create jobs for Haitians who collect the bottles.