With an eye on the rising upcycling and sustainability market, New Balance launched a line of one-of-a-kind lifestyle shoes under the MADE Responsibly initiative. The MADE Responsibly 998 sneakers are handcrafted by New Balance designers using surplus production materials for the suede overlays, body mesh, lining, laces, collar strip, trim, and soles. The use of surplus materials opens up new color options and combinations allowing the shoes to feature fresh colorways including black on yellow and brown on light blue.
Because the MADE Responsibly shoes are unique exclusives, the new line appeals particularly to shoe collectors and sneakerheads. New Balance's latest line is entirely unisex. The MADE Responsibly sneaker line will drop on May 1st, 2021.
Image Credit: Hypebeast / New Balance
What's Driving This Trend
- Upcycled Sneakers
- New Balance's MADE Responsibly 998 Shoes leverage the rising upcycling and sustainability trend by using surplus production materials and handcrafting each shoe.
- Unique Exclusives
- The MADE Responsibly shoes' one-of-a-kind design appeals to shoe collectors and sneakerheads, indicative of a growing trend of limited edition and unique products.
- Unisex Styles
- New Balance's latest MADE Responsibly line is entirely unisex, following a trend towards gender-neutral fashion and inclusivity.
Who This Affects Most
- Fashion and Apparel
- The MADE Responsibly 998 Sneakers are an innovative fashion product that taps into the growing trend towards sustainable and limited edition fashion.
- Sneaker Manufacturing
- New Balance's use of surplus production materials for the MADE Responsibly 998 Sneakers offers opportunities for more sustainable and cost-effective sneaker manufacturing methods.
- Sustainability Consulting
- New Balance's MADE Responsibly initiative highlights the growing demand for sustainable business practices and represents a potential opportunity for sustainability consulting services.
