What can you expect from Kokolu’s new athleisure wear sneakers? If you’re a color freak like me, you’ll find the bright designs so dang cheerful. The yellow Comfort Knit Sneakers I tried featured shiny knit uppers, purple laces, and bright green soles. Even better? They’re made from recycled and natural materials. Here’s what runners, walkers, hikers, and style-conscious athleisure fans should know about this eco-conscious shoe.
Let’s explore the materials that go into these stylish sneakers. The uppers are made out of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, and we all know the world needs a good use for those. Each pair of laces takes care of another recycled plastic bottle. The outsoles are crafted from recycled rubber, and the insoles are made from corn starch and recycled foam. Kokolu also employs a process called dope-dying, which uses less water than other methods.
When you’ve worn out these shoes, they’re 100% recyclable. And so is the cardboard packaging they come in.
Testing out Kokolu’s athleisure wear sneakers
Styling these shoes was a bit of a challenge with their unusual color scheme. Even so, I was determined to make these Kokolu athleisure wear sneakers the only pair I wore on a recent trip to San Diego (except for my running shoes). So, I packed an all purple, black, yellow, and green wardrobe and spent three days walking around San Diego in these sneakers. My feet stayed comfortable the whole time. And I got lots of compliments on my shiny yellow shoes.
At first, I had trouble getting them on and off. I thought the gold zipper was just for decoration. Turns out the zipper is practical, and the purple laces are for show. Once I figured that out, things got easier.
Kokolu’s impact
Founded in 2018, Kokolu is a certified B Corporation, which means it meets high social and environmental performance standards. Kokolu’s 2022 Green Report documented recycling 227,014 plastic bottles and 13,345 kilograms of rubber. The company also planted 1,100 trees in British Columbia and reduced water waste by 75%.
These shoes feel good, and you can feel good about buying them. I just wish they’d bring back the sustainable purple velvet sneakers I had my eye on before they took them off the market. The world needs this mix of eco-consciousness and fun style.
Writer received a free sample from Kokolu for review.