At the forefront of sustainable fashion, Peterson Stoop rebuilds tattered sneakers into new patchwork designs

Inasmuch as

Design

#fashion #shoes #upcycled

Coinciding with the rise of reused fabrics and visible mending, the Amsterdam-based design studio Stoop Peterson fight against waste in a fashion industry vector. The company, which was founded by Jelske Peterson and Jarah Stoop in 2013, salvages used shoes otherwise destined for landfills. It is estimated that a single pair of sneakers can take 1000 years to break them down and reuse them in mules, high-tops and moccasins. Combined with cork, leather and other natural materials for support, the new shoes showcase original logos and tattered fabrics through a patchwork of chunky stitching.

Stoop tells Colossal that the studio sources sneakers from sorting centers, thrift stores and overstock retailers, though it gravitates towards brands like Nike, Adidas and Converse because of their cultural relevance. “We deconstruct shoes and rebuild them piece by piece. By redesigning them with traditional techniques, we create an interesting tension between two different worlds,” she says. “At the same time, we are creating a product that is fixable time and time again.”

Now offering more than a dozen genderless styles, Peterson Stoop plans to expand its product line with a focus on materials at your fingertips. Collect 20 pairs of blue Nike Blazers, for example, inspired a unique collection which maintains the integrity of the original design with a new repairable sole. “To see the same shoes worn differently with scuffs, marks and different sun faded hues, we documented it for ourselves. By framing supposedly identical shoes in one shot, you realize how different, unique and beautiful they all are,” says Stoop.

The Peterson Stoop store is stocked with original designs and is open for custom orders. Learn more about the workplace and the company’s recycling process at instagram.

#fashion #shoes #upcycled

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