Signal and Vans Team With Ernest Packaging to Build a Cardboard Skateable Slip-On
Born from big ideas and built on board culture, snowboarding label are already known for their daring design – but you have to hand the (biodegradable) trophy to the brand for this one. Signal have teamed up with and to create a fully skateable sneaker made entirely out of cardboard.
Designed as part of Signal’s Cardboard Chaos initiative – an ongoing series blending curiosity, craft and unconventional materials – the silhouette is the latest in a line of projects which has seen the brand build everything from surfboards to guitars using nothing but cardboard. Previous works include a , and multiple instruments including a .
Crafted in Vans' factory in Hanoi, Vietnam, and fully designed to perform, the model features everything you'd expect from the Cali label's iconic sneaker – including the checkerboard design and waffle sole. Just 10 pairs exist, and after flying them back to California, the team handed them over to skate icons like Christian Hosoi, Tony Alva, Lizzie Armanto and Omar Hassan.
Speaking on the project, Signal's Dave Lee says: 'All you have to do is think differently, and big. Make it happen. Put in the work, and you have this amazing creation… this amazing idea that’s come to life.'
The results defied expectations; each rider has demonstrated the model's ability to hold up under real performance. For Vans, the cardboard Slip-On marks another chapter in their long history of creative experimentation, while for the world of skate, it’s proof that even the most basic materials – when engineered right – can ride.
You can peep all the behind-the-scenes footage of the Signal x Ernest Packaging x Vans Classic Slip-On above.
In other news, Nike has revealed its full , featuring two of their signature basketball silhouettes – the Air Jordan 40 and the Air Jordan 3!