# Skateable Cardboard Shoes Vans and Ernest Packaging Solutions Created Cardboard Chaos By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2025-08-06 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cardboard-chaos References: [businesswire](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250806830941/en/Vans-X-Ernest-Push-Boundaries-with-Worlds-First-Skateable-Cardboard-Shoe)  Vans and [Ernest Packaging Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bad-santa) teamed up to create a first-of-its-kind footwear design, Vans x Ernest Cardboard Chaos, a pair of fully wearable [Vans skate shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vans-premium-authentic-ease) made of paper. Developing the world's first skateable shoe made out of cardboard involved engineering a durable, flexible version of [Vans’](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/authentichtvibram) iconic checkerboard pattern with innovative materials. As the partnering companies detailed in a press release, "the cardboard upper withstood every construction challenge, including the vulcanization process (275° heat and 20 PSI of pressure.)" Since 2014, the Ernest Cardboard Chaos series has pushed the boundaries of material innovation, and since then, there's been a cardboard snowboard, a skateboard, a surfboard and other designs created to celebrate creativity, collaboration, and making seemingly impossible feats possible. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 67% | Activity: 66% | Freshness: 46% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Sports](https://www.trendhunter.com/sports) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Sustainable Footwear:** Developing cardboard shoes showcases a growing trend towards eco-friendly materials in footwear, presenting opportunities for reducing environmental impact in fashion. - **Material Innovation:** The use of durable cardboard in high-stress applications like skate shoes highlights advancements in material science, opening the door for alternative material applications in various industries. - **Collaborative Design:** The partnership between Vans and Ernest Packaging Solutions signifies an increasing trend of cross-industry collaboration to achieve groundbreaking product innovations. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fashion and Apparel:** Using cardboard as a viable material for wearable footwear represents a novel approach within the fashion industry, redefining how sustainable design is integrated into clothing and accessories. - **Packaging Solutions:** Innovative cardboard solutions from companies like Ernest Packaging demonstrate new uses and demands for sustainable materials in packaging and beyond, stimulating industry growth through diversification. - **Extreme Sports Equipment:** Creating functional sports equipment from cardboard, such as surfboards and skateboards, challenges traditional materials and introduces the potential for affordable and sustainable options in sports gear. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Hybrid Skate Slip-On Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/erap-shoe.md) - [Cardboard-Inspired Breathable Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/samba-cardboard.md) - [Ultra-Durable Skate Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/authentichtvibram.md) - [Packaging-Inspired Footwear Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/box-shoe.md) - [Knitted Heritage Skate Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/knit-pack.md) - [Streetwear Skate Remixes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-future.md) - [Weatherproof Skateboard Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vans-lx-old-skool-36-goretex.md) - [Winter-Ready Skateboard Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vans-old-skool-premium-goretex.md) - [Fashion-Inspired Skate Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/old-skool-36-souvenir.md)