Sustainability is a hot topic in the fashion world. It is more important than ever to give the Earth a helping hand. That is why more and more brands are using faux leather and recycled materials. P448 has found another creative solution that kills two birds with one stone.
P448
Founded in 2014, by Marco Samorè and Andrea Curti, P448 is an Italian footwear brand, for people who live life boldly and fearlessly. The brand specialises in sneaker for men and women, all of which are made, designed and manufactured in Italy. Which says something about the high-quality designs! Every detail has been carefully considered and materials have been meticulously chosen.
In addition, the subject of sustainability is also central to this brand. Currently, P448 offers several sustainable collections such as the: Re:new leather, Recycled Suede and vegan collection.
The Re:new collection reduces environmental impact by 80% and the Recycled Suede collection goes through an eco-sustainable process that, compared to standard tanning processes, reduces water consumption by 67%, chemicals by 29% and the in which CO2 emissions are halved. But this is not the only problem they have come up with a solution for.
Lionfish Leather
Indeed, P448 comes out with a collection made from lionfish leather. The lionfish is a fish that causes damage to the coral reef and biodiversity mainly on the Florida coast in Atlantic waters. These fish do not occur in these waters naturally, as humans released the breed into the wild there, where it's become an invasive species.
The fish first swam only in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. In the 1980s, the lionfish was accidentally brought to the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. Over the past four decades, the local population has exploded to the shores of Brazil, Spain and everywhere in between.
The animal has no natural enemies, which allows the lionfish to multiply at a rapid pace. As a result, over 79% of young marine life is killed, which in turn leads to an overgrown reef left to die.
Sneakers in Lionfish leather
Italian brand P448 has come up with a solution to save the Atlantic coral reefs. Their sneakers are made from the skins of captured lionfish, allowing plants and other animals in the reefs to live longer.
Each shoe is made from the skin of one lionfish, which means that each pair of shoes protects up to 70,000 fish (the average amount eaten in a single lionfish's lifetime), while also helping to restore and maintain the biodiversity of the oceans.
The comfortable and sporty low-top Lionfish sneakers are made of white recycled leather in five colours including red, royal (blue), bubblegum, silver and black.