Clae and Vuori Team Up on Sneaker Capsule Made With Recycled Inputs
SoCal lifestyle labels Clae and Vuori have teamed up for a second time to create a limited-edition sneaker made chiefly from vegan and recycled inputs.
Following their first debut of the Malone Lite unisex shoe in summer 2023, the Carlsbad, Calif. activewear company and the Los Angeles footwear brand on Thursday dropped a reimagined version of Clae’s Deane court shoe.
Inspired by coastal California living and court sports like tennis and pickleball, the shoe was designed with an amalgam of circular and sustainable materials. The partners kept the color offering simple with a triple off-white and black option, both of which feature debossed brand logos on the tongue. Vuori’s mantra, “The Rise. The Shine,” is debossed on the lateral side of the sneaker.
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Both color ways have the same upper composition—a blend of 30 percent recycled pre-consumer nylon, 20 percent conventional nylon and 50 percent polyurethane. According to Clae, the footbed is made up of 85 percent recycled polyurethane and 15 percent new polyurethane, while the laces are composed of 100 percent GOTS-certified recycled nylon.
The collar and footbed lining contain 30 percent pre-consumer recycled nylon and the insole is made from 100 percent recycled polyurethane. The outsole features 30 percent natural rubber.
“The Deane style has normally been offered in premium and Italian leather. By opting for these materials, we have developed a new offering that is comprised of mostly recycled materials. We chose to keep the shoe vegan because it was the best choice for this collaboration and aligns with our values,” Clae CEO Jim Bartholet told Sourcing Journal.
Founded in 2001, Clae has long experimented with recycled inputs and next-gen, bio-based materials. Last fall, the company dropped a two-style capsule made from GrapeSkin by Vegea—a leather alternative made from grape stalks, skins and pips that are usually discarded during wine production.
One year earlier, Clae released two sneakers made with leather derived from apple cores and peels, created by Italian synthetic leather manufacturer Mabel Industries. It has also worked with Desserto, employing the Mexican material innovator’s cactus-based alt-leather.
“We don’t intend to ditch genuine leather entirely, but when using leather, we will always source premium or Italian leathers from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group,” Bartholet said. “This commitment helps us maintain our ongoing sustainable and responsible practices.”
As for the silhouette, “The Deane was chosen because it’s proven to be a solid model for us since its launch in Autumn/Winter 2020,” he added. “We put a lot of thought and effort into experimenting with various designs to find the best fit for Vuori, and it ultimately led us to the Malone Lite and now the Deane.”
“The Deane perfectly embodies the effortless versatility that defines both brands,” the chief executive said. “This partnership reflects CLAE and Vuori’s commitment to creating long-lasting products that minimize our environmental footprint.”
Retailing for $170, the Clae x Vuori Deane will be available exclusively online at each brand’s respective e-commerce site.
