These New Sneakers Are Made From Recycled Plastic Bottles (and They're So Cute)

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(Image credit: Converse)

Trying to live a more sustainable and fashionable lifestyle? Then you've come to the right place, and yes, the two can coexist beautifully. I recently went on a mini adventure to Boston, Massachusetts, to visit the Converse headquarters where the brand was cooking up something particularly exciting—its first collection of sustainable sneakers, Converse Renew. The intention behind this new initiative was to really push the creative limits of the process Converse uses to make its shoes. Instead of using new materials for every pair, this collection uses existing ones.

By the end of the year, there will be more versions released in the collection (including a denim version I can hardly wait for), but for now, we're focusing on the first drop of sneakers, which are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. So how exactly does that work? Well, first, Converse works with First Mile to collect, recycle, and source the plastic bottles from developing countries. Then, those plastic bottles are ground down into flakes, melted, and eventually spun into yarn. From there, the iconic Converse canvas you all know and love is created, and before you know it, you have yourself a Chuck 70 Renew sneaker with an upper (the canvas part) that's made from 100% recycled polyester via those plastic bottles we talked about earlier. Pretty cool, right?

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Well, what's even better is that this new collection of sneakers is insanely cute. Everything from the colors to the kitschy writing to the fresh color-blocking gives you that nostalgic feeling you've always loved from Converse, with a newfound excitement knowing that by purchasing them, you're living a more sustainable life. Ahead, shop the Converse Renew collection in all the colorways, and be sure to keep an eye out for more styles to drop as the year goes on. 

Lauren Eggertsen
Editorial Director

"Copy (200 words): Lauren Eggertsen is currently the editorial director of Who What Where and has worked at the company for nearly seven years, where she started as an associate editor and has since worked her way up. Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the fashion editorial space, starting her career with internships at Marc Jacobs, Marie Claire, and The Zoe Report, where she was later hired as their editorial assistant. Lauren has worked in the Los Angeles and New York Who What Wear offices but currently calls L.A. home. It is here where she leads and manages Who What Wear's fashion team and oversees all day-to-day editorial content and large tentpole moments. This includes all of the runway, trend, and shopping-driven content that ultimately helps to build a strong brand reputation within the industry. Lauren's role also includes helping to set the fashion direction for all original photo shoots and often styles many of the celebrity cover shoots, including big names like Sydney Sweeney, Lindsay Lohan, and Megan Fox. 


She has also attended multiple fashion weeks, including New York, London, and Milan, where her personal style has been featured on sites such as Elle.com, HarpersBazaar.com, and Vogue.co.uk. She prides herself on discovering and supporting small brands and on her knack for a good vintage shopping find. When she isn't working, she enjoys researching and dining at reputable restaurants around both her neighborhood and the globe.