I have a confession to make. I’m one of those weirdo sockless people. I generally prefer to be barefoot but will acquiesce to common mores and put on some sort of footwear when required. But not socks. I live in Texas, where it’s literally a million degrees for 50 weeks out of the year, so wearing any additional fabric is an act of masochism. Now, does this mean my sneakers, when I am forced to wear them, stink? Yes, yes it does, but I just chalk that up as the cost of being human (we literally secrete bad smells from our entire body and spend most of our lives covering it up and pretending we don’t).
But coffee, ever the generous provider for all of your many needs, has yet again given us a solution, one that doesn’t look half bad at that. The XpreSole Pantos is a no-sock, odor-resistant boot made from used coffee grounds, and they are on Kickstarter now.
Coffee grounds are proving to be some of the most upcycleable materials out there. We’ve seen fabrics, soaps, road building materials, even face masks. And while there have been upcycled coffee shoes in the past, the XpreSole by eco shoe company CCILU is maybe the best-looking version of the coffee sneaker. The chukka-style boot keeps a simple design, but utilizes coffee grounds throughout the shoe to a variety of effects. The insole, for instance, uses a coffee yard to add breathability, and the coffee-infused lining is anti-odor, anti-microbial, and moisture-wicking. The 100% waterproof shell of the boot consists of 30% coffee grounds, the same percentage as what is used to make the outsole. In all, there are “15 cups of upcycled spent coffee grounds and recycled plastics” in every pair of XpreSole Pantos.
The Kickstarter states that the Pantos are lightweight—only 230g in total—slip-resistant, machine washable, certified vegan, and UV protective. The XpreSole Pantos come in both high- and low-top versions and with four different color options: White Vanilla Latte, Brown Mocha, Black Americano, and Black Espresso.
And if you’re one of those weirdo sock people, they make those too! Each pair of socks is comprised of two cups of coffee’s worth of ground and come in six different design options, which you can go look up yourself; I don’t acknowledge socks.
With four weeks left to go in the Kickstarter campaign, XpreSole has nearly doubled its $10,000 goal. Would-be backers can their hands on a pair of Pantos for as low as $79 for the low tops and $89 for the high tops, both 30% off the MSRP. Rewards are expected to start shipping later this year in October. For more information or to order a pair, check out the XpreSole Panto Kickstarter page.
So if you too collapse under the weight of society’s arbitrary and oppressive requirement to cover your feet when in public, you may as well do it with coffee. It’s good for the environment and is maybe a little less stinky.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
All images via CCILU
