Lightweight, sustainable, biodegradable and earth-friendly—all in one pair of shoes? How does that work? Add arch support, style, comfort and an intangible coolness factor and it’s a pair of the new hemp-based Alex athleisure shoes from Rackle.
The direct-to-customer, Boston-based company offers sneakers made with a sustainable industrial hemp upper and a tri-density foam sole.
Available in men’s and women’s sizes and in three colors, the Alex is machine-washable and promoted as for “year-round use at the office or the park.”
Rackle by intention connotes “disruption,” which the company markets in its sustainability practices. The Alex is designed to “break down at an accelerated rate compared to traditional footwear under biologically active landfill conditions.”
The shoes are shipped with their shoebox as the mailing container. They’re in there, even if you think the box is empty when it arrives—the shoes weigh only 6 ounces and come with two pairs of shoelaces.