HEMPSHOES by Liz Ciokajlo
Part of the Natural Selection collection, HempShoes is a conceptual footwear project that explores the intersection of sustainable materials, industrial processes, and sculptural form. The shoes are made using overlasted uppers (tops of the shoes) crafted from hemp fibres - a fast-growing, low-impact crop sourced from J. Dittrich & Söhne, with inserted natural wool felt ‘sock’ linings sourced from Daimer Filz. Bio-resins and natural binders are strategically applied to create three varied densities within a continuous structure, enabling a unique construction of hollow heels and suspended footbeds. The result is a familiar but silhouette unifying aesthetics and function, offering support while minimising material waste. The use of industrial natural non-woven materials in a minimalist, heeled design subverts traditional notions of luxury and craftsmanship. Misappropriating renewable materials into a footwear context aims to provoke conventional material hierarchies of value and culture.
HempShoes were first designed and prototyped in 2012. The aim - to ‘deconstruct’ the shoe and propose a design where aesthetics, performance, and ecological responsibility are inextricably linked.
COMPOSITION
Hemp fibres, wool felt, natural binders and bio-resins.