Vivobarefoot launches Gobi nneaker made from mushroom material

British eco-friendly brand Vivobarefoot has introduced a new vegan shoe called the Gobi, made with an innovative material derived from mushrooms. This marks a significant step in the brand’s mission to eliminate plastic from their vegan footwear collection.

The Gobi sneaker is made using mycelium, a root-like structure found in fungi. This material, which is often associated with mushrooms, offers a plant-based alternative to traditional synthetic materials. According to Charlotte Pumford, the brand’s Director of Sustainability, creating a durable vegan shoe without synthetic materials has always been a challenge. “We’ve been seeking a plant-based material that can perform at the level people expect from everyday footwear,” she shared with Forbes.

Vivobarefoot collaborated with HyphaLite, a company at the forefront of using mycelium, to create this new material. By combining mycelium with latex and cellulose, they developed a leather-like substance that is both animal-free and plastic-free.

In the beginning, prototypes of this material struggled with durability and absorbency, but after refining the process, the Gobi sneaker was born. The final product features a tough design that can withstand daily use. This durability ties into Vivobarefoot’s Revivo program, which refurbishes and reuses old shoes, keeping them out of landfills for longer.