Hey Dude Shoes Takes A Stand Against Ocean Waste

Ocean waste has become a larger and larger problem with every year that passes. Tons of plastic wind up in the water every single day, and the floating islands of waste are an issue that has captured the attention of activists, conservationists, and even corporations. On the one hand, that’s a lot of garbage. On the other hand, it’s also a lot of material that could be recycled, and turned into a fresh, new resource!

That is the attitude Hey Dude shoes has taken with regards to the ocean’s plastic waste, and they’ve used that attitude to launch their Eco-Knit collection.

These Shoes Were Made For Walking

Hey Dude shoes are known for their unique, casual style of footwear, but this project took things one step further for the brand. What are Hey Dudes Eco-Knit shoes made out of? By recycling ocean plastic into PET fibers (or polyethylene terephthalate if you’re sassy), the company can integrate this unwanted material into a new and useful product. Strong and lightweight, these fibers allow them to construct a unique shoe.

The brilliance of this Hey Dude shoes sustainability strategy is two-fold when it comes to corporate environmental responsibility. On the one hand, it proves the company is making concrete, green efforts in a meaningful way that has an impact on the world. It also allows them to get more attention for a product, and to let customers feel as if they’re funding a clean-up effort in regards to ocean plastic.

As more Hey Dude Eco-Knit collection is sold, and the higher the demand goes, the more pairs of the shoes they’ll need to make. That means they’ll need more of the base material, which is recycled ocean plastic. It becomes a cycle where everyone wins!