Go 'Vegan' with Nat-2's Sustainable Mushroom Leather Sneakers

Fungus on your feet is never a good thing — unless it’s in the form of stylish, sustainable footwear. German sneaker brand Nat-2 is delivering just that, unveiling their latest line of ‘Vegan Fungi’ sneakers.

Part of a collaborative project with ‘mushroom leather’ company Zvnder, the low-cut sneakers feature eco-cotton terrycloth, microfibre suede created from recycled plastic bottles, natural cork insoles, and natural rubber outsoles. The uppers utilise a leather-like material created from ‘tinder sponge’ — a parasite that grows on dead birches and beeches.

According to Nat-2, the tinder sponge is harvested by hand, tested for a year, then hand worked. This process takes two years to complete, but the end result is an organic, vegan, chemical free, anti-septic and anti-bacterial textile material. It's also gluten-free — not sure what that entails, but we advise against eating them!

Adding to the sustainable street cred, the sneakers are available in a range of earthy colourways and are handmade by a small, family-owned manufacturer in Italy.