credit: servati
There is a big difference between being made from recycled materials and being recyclable. Yes, because being 100 percent recyclable means that every single component of an object can be reused to make another one just like it, ideally creating a potentially endless circle of zero waste. This is the philosophy behind the Italian brand Servati, founded by Apulians Matteo Di Paola and Marco Primiceri, who have patented a process that allows their sneakers to have no “end of life.”
The secret lies in disassembly: in fact, the sneakers not only have a structure that does not involve the use of glues or solvents, but can be completely disassembled by easily separating the upper and sole, which can be used as material to produce new sneakers or other accessories. This is a process that the company incentivizes by inviting those who make a purchase to return their sneakers once they are worn out, so they can be put back into the production process.
The manufacturing impact is also minimized: thanks to the use of artificial intelligence, the shoes are 3D printed and have a 35 percent gaseous component, which is the air used to inflate the foam that makes it up. The upper, on the other hand, is completely handcrafted, stitched piece by piece by hand in a meticulous process that takes an hour to complete.
