Written by Menswear Style in New Collections on the 4th June 2020

Pioneering French footwear brand Palladium first introduced sustainable footwear back in the 1990s and continues the brand’s drive for innovation and creative exploration in 2020 with the Palladium Earth Collection. Working hand-in-hand with Palladium’s ‘Uniform of the People’ mantra and call-to-action for acts of positive change in society, the Earth collection looks to innovative sourcing methods making conscious consumerism easily accessible while providing visibility across Palladium’s production and sourcing processes.

The Palladium Earth Collection is composed of two key stories. The first, 'Organic', utilises organic materials aligned with GRS (Global Recycled Standards), GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards), and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 guidelines. The second story is 'Recycled', which uses materials made from a variety of recycled waste. Removable story tabs explain the mission of Pampa Earth and lists all the global certifications, providing transparency on the collection’s ecological and ethical criteria.

“As a responsible brand, we had to demonstrate our engagement regarding the whole climate changes and the way the resources of our planet are getting consumed quicker than they can regenerate,” said Palladium Design Director, Adrien Touati. “As a response, we decided to re-think the way we were making our products to reduce our impact on the environment.” All styles in the Organic Collection feature 100% organic cotton canvas uppers, recycled rubber logo patches and biodegradable lace-tips. A sustainably produced cork-laminated footbed provides extra comfort while a recycled rubber outsole completes each of the styles. The boot eyelets are composed of 70% recycled brass coil while laces are 100% recycled polyester. The Palladium Recycled Collection is the most ambitious and environmentally friendly collection yet with the Palladium creative team delivering responsible sourcing and production techniques resulting in a varied collection of styles underlining the importance of sustainability.

Each Recycled style is designed using a subtly different combination of recycled materials and components. However, all the boots in the collection share an upper that is constructed from recycled plastic bottles while every sole-unit and in-sock is formed from rubber wastage and fabric off-cuts from Palladium’s factory in Lyon. Furthermore, adding to Palladium’s drive for embracing new innovative technologies, each style features a waterproof membrane made from 100% thermoplastic polyurethane and metal zippers constructed from scrap copper and zinc alloy. The collection’s hero style EVO LITE+ RCYL WP+ is the ultimate lightweight performance boot for urban explorers. The style’s sustainability credentials are supported by a functionality mission that places purpose and function at the forefront of the design process. Designed for those who dare to care and reshape the world, the boot is SS20’s most ethically-aware and directional waterproof boot. The silhouette references the design aesthetic of Pampa Hi but with an updated silhouette featuring a side zip.

Additional styles in the Recycled Collection include: PAMPA LITE+ RCYCL WP+; OX LITE+ RCYCL WP+; PAMPA CUFF RCYCL WP+; and PAMPA LO CUFF RCYCL WP+. The low-cut OX LITE+ RCYCL WP+ is presented alongside the PAMPA LO CUFF RCYCL WP+, a mid-cut offering. All styles feature the same recycled and sustainable materials used for PAMPA LO CUFF RCYCL WP+ and are available in an array of colours from rose dust to dusky green. “The Earth collection keeps evolving season after season and we constantly feed it with new innovation and executions,” Touati adds. “We consider this capsule as our ‘sustainability lab’ and some of the findings from the Earth Collection are now being implemented across our main collections.” With innovative design and sustainable intelligence at the core of the collection, the Recycled Pack is a pioneering capsule collection that defines Palladium’s ethically aware intentions for forthcoming seasons. 

palladiumboots.co.uk

With quotes from design director Adrien Touati, we take a look at the Palladium Eco-Conscious Earth collection made from recycled materials.