Allbirds has once again pushed its own envelope on sustainability with its latest collection, which includes reimagined versions of well-known shoes and a new fitness-focused look. The three styles feature the brand’s lightest and lowest-carbon foam to date.
Its newest collection, titled SuperLight, features new iterations of its Tree Runner and Wool Runner shoes. It also will introduce the SuperLight Trainer to consumers.
Each shoe in the collection includes SuperLight Foam, a new material innovation from Allbirds. According to the brand, SuperLight is made with carbon-negative, sugarcane-derived Green EVA. This creates a midsole, Allbirds explained, that is roughly 70% bio-based.
“We’re constantly working to deliver captivating and comfortable footwear while also reducing the carbon footprints of our products. We want to set the curve on sustainability and innovation. This reimagination of some of our core styles is the manifestation of that mindset,” Allbirds co-founder and co-CEO Tim Brown said in a statement.
Aside from the foam, Allbirds employed its other material innovations throughout the collection. For instance, the SuperLight Tree Runner features lightweight and breathable uppers made with Tencel Lyocell, which is made with FSC-certified eucalyptus tree fiber. This material, Allbirds explained, uses 95% less water than conventional cotton and has a carbon footprint that is one-third lower than virgin nylon. In a women’s size 7, the SuperLight Tree Runner weighs 4.73 oz., and the shoe weighs 5.50 oz. in a men’s size 9.
Retail price for the Allbirds SuperLight Tree Runner is $115.
Allbirds SuperLight Tree Runner in the “Calm Teal” colorway.CREDIT: COURTESY OF ALLBIRDS
As for the SuperLight Trainer ($120), the uppers are feature eucalyptus tree fiber with recycled polyester. The recycled polyester, Allbirds explained, is made with plastic waste, which reduces reliance on fossil fuels “and the risk of that waste ending up in landfills and oceans.” The SuperLight Trainer in a women’s size 7 weighs 4.25 oz. and weighs 5.07 oz. in a size 9 for men.
Lastly, the SuperLight Wool Runner ($120) is constructed with uppers made with ZQ-certified regenerative wool. Allbirds said the use of this wool aligns with its commitment to transition to all regenerative wool sources by 2025. The shoe weighs in at 4.23 oz. in a women’s size 7 and 5.11 oz. in a men’s size 9.
In terms of carbon footprint, Allbirds set a new bar for itself with the SuperLight collection. The SuperLight Trainer has a carbon footprint of 2.14 kg CO₂e, which is the lowest of any Allbirds product currently available. The SuperLight Tree Runner and the SuperLight Wool Runner have carbon footprints of 2.85 kg CO2e and 4.04 kg CO2e, respectively.
“Cutting down on carbon is a game of inches. Every part of the shoe’s lifecycle is significant, from materials and packaging, to energy use and shipping,” Allbirds VP of innovation Jad Finck said in a statement. “Every component, feature, and detail of the SuperLight collection has been pored over to minimize carbon emissions without sacrificing on comfort and style.”
The heel of the Allbirds <span style=”font-style: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important;”>SuperLight</span> Tree Runner, which has its 2.14 kg CO₂e carbon footprint on the heel.CREDIT: COURTESY OF ALLBIRDS
The SuperLight Tree Runner and SuperLight Wool Runner will be available in full sizes from 5-11 for women and 7-14 for men. The SuperLight Trainer will come in half sizes from 5-11 for women and 7-14 for men.
Both the SuperLight Trainer and Tree Runner will arrive April 18 via Allbirds.com and the SuperLight Wool Runner will debut in late 2023.
Allbirds SuperLight Tree Runner.CREDIT: COURTESY OF ALLBIRDS
Although SuperLight is made with its lightest and lowest-carbon foam to date, Allbirds announced last month that a net zero carbon shoe is on the way.
In March, Allbirds revealed Moonshot, written by the brand as M0.0NSHOT, which is a shoe with a carbon footprint of 0.0 kg CO2e. The company said this was achieved without relying on offsets. Allbirds co-founder and co-CEO Tim Brown told FN the shoe has been more than two and a half years in the making and is the result of an effort labeled Project Moonshot internally. “It’s the theory being, if we can put a man on the moon, we can make a pair of sneakers with no impact,” Brown said.
For now, the look of the shoe is still under wraps. Allbirds is only showing a teaser image of the Moonshot until it is revealed in June at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen. At that time, Brown said Allbirds will have a limited number of samples available with a wider commercial release set for early 2024.
The Allbirds SuperLight Tree Runner in the “Calm Taupe” colorway.