United by Blue and SOLE’s Jasper Wool Chukka is perhaps the most sustainable shoe ever made. I tested for a few weeks for this review.
Bison, algae, merino wool, recycled cork, and rice rubber: The ingredient list for a pair of SOLE x UBB Jasper Wool Eco Chukkas is impressive.
SOLE, maker of sustainably sourced insoles and footbeds, and United By Blue, a B-corp committed to ridding waterways of trash, teamed up to release a shoe. And because both companies place sustainability at top priority, the result is a (literally) wild shoe.
I’ve worn the Jasper Wool Eco Chukka for the past few weeks, and I’m impressed by the shoe’s comfort and looks. It’s warm and toes the line of slipper and shoe quite well. You bet I wear these slipper-like shoes to work.
The Jasper Wool Eco Chukka launched on Kickstarter on March 4. Read on to hear how the brands managed to make one of the most sustainable shoes out there.
Bison, Algae, and Cork Shoe: Jasper Wool Eco Chukka Review
United by Blue has slowly released more and more products over the past few years that use its proprietary BisonShield insulation.
The fill is from bison headed to traditional ends, like meat and leather. UBB takes the fur from the animal, which withstands brutal Canadian winters, repurposes it into insulation, and places it in jackets, blankets, and, now, shoes. The result is a fill that mirrors a lot of properties of wool and down.
For the Jasper Wool Eco Chukka, UBB places BisonShield insulation around your foot. My feet don’t overheat with the amount of insulation, and it keeps them toasty during the Colorado winter.
But that’s only the start. SOLE takes the shoe a step wilder.
For the footbed, SOLE uses BLOOM Algae Foam with natural cork topsheet. This foam uses 35 percent less energy to produce than regular EVA.
SOLE uses its new ReCORK recycled cork midsole for cushioning. The brand grinds down wine corks and recycles them into a new formula that’s more flexible, cushioning, and durable than industry-standard EVA.
