A Finnish athleisure brand that manufactures the world’s first sneakers from coffee grounds and recycled plastic. The Helsinki-based brand won the 2021 Reddot Award for Outstanding Product Design for its innovation.
Rens coffee sneakers debuted in the summer of 2019 and soon became Finland’s most successful Kickstarter campaign to date and the largest crowdfunding campaign in Scandinavia. In less than 45 days, Rens sold over € 500,000 in sneakers to thousands. Of customers around the world.
Since then, Rens has established itself as a sustainable sneaker brand. The United States, Finland, Germany and the United Kingdom are the main markets for the brand, but sneakers are sold in more than 100 countries around the world.
"We've had constant encouragement and great feedback from the community from the beginning. We've integrated a lot of wishes and comments into the development of the next performance sneaker model, Nomad, to be launched in the Kickstarter campaign in mid-July," :Rens.
What does “Rens” mean?
Many fans are wondering what the brand name means. The answer is: “The word” rens “has several different meanings around the world, sharing a connection thread between them. From the Far East, Confucianism brings us “ren” (without -s) and explains altruism, especially the wonderful feelings we get when we do something good for others. In the West, “rens” is found in the Scandinavian language and means “clean, unpolluted and pure”. The combination of these two defines Ren. It feels great to do good things for people and the world around them, “explains the young brand.
How do you make coffee grounds sneakers?
First, you need about 21 cups of coffee for each shoe. It is carbonated and mixed with PET recycled from 6 used water bottles. This is done by an innovative high pressure process under low heat. The material on the top of the shoe is made from this mixture.
Why coffee?
Materials made from coffee grounds have many advantages. For example, it is odor resistant, antibacterial, durable, provides UV protection and dries twice as fast as traditional polyester. The recycled PET used is longer lasting, better performing and more environmentally friendly than traditional plastics.
Each pair of sneakers is lightweight and weighs only 400-650 grams, depending on size. All Rens sneakers have a waterproof membrane made of recycled polyester, so each shoe is waterproof yet breathable. The heel and toe caps have a non-slip rubber sole, making them suitable for a variety of terrains.
What happens to Rens sneakers at the end of life?
“Waste-based materials are used in the production of Rens sneakers (used coffee grounds and recycled plastic from returnable bottles), extending the life cycle of these seemingly disposable materials, which ultimately results in them. You can gradually reduce the amount of waste that is landfilled in, “the brand said in an email to Fashion United.
“But given the current state of recycling technology, we haven’t yet found an effective system for recycling sneakers. But we closed the loop and achieved our vision of being the most sustainable sneaker brand in the world. We are continually researching and looking for efficient ways and techniques to do this, “Rens adds.
What does the logo stand for?
Not only are each sneaker made vegan without hooks, eyelets and laces, but they are also designed as pure slip-on shoes, which has the advantage of being quick and easy to put on and take off without the use of hands. Prominently printed on each shoe is the Rens logo, a hashtag that is a symbol of the social media generation.
“People not only use it to participate in the movement, but also start the movement and build something bigger than themselves. Hashtags connect individuals, communities, cultures and ethnic groups,” the brand explains. doing.
Where can I buy Rens sneakers now?
Sneakers are currently available from the Rens website (rensoriginal.com) and the fashion e-tailer Zalando. FashionUnited wanted to know if the wholesale model was planned for the near future, if Rens would continue to be an online brand, or if physical stores were also planned for the future.
“Our strongest markets (EU countries such as USA, UK, Germany, Finland) are currently focusing on direct sales models, as well as with various wholesalers in markets such as Japan, Singapore and Latin America. Rens was born as a global and digital native brand, but we are definitely aiming to evolve into an omni-channel brand and later It will also be available in stores, “Rens confirms.
Sneaker sizes are black, white, beige, blue, red and pink, 35.5-44.5 (UK 5-12) for women and 36-47.5 (UK 4-13) for men. Prices range from US $ 119 or € 119 per pair.
Source: https://londonnewstime.com/rens-offers-the-worlds-first-sneakers-made-from-coffee-grounds/327289/
