Plant fibre shoes anyone?

HYDERABAD: Talk about shoes, and it is calf or buffalo leather that is in demand when it comes to Oxfords or Moccasins for men. And those who are not comfortable wearing a dead animal’s skin can look for shoes made from plant fibre. Ethik – a fashion brand for men founded by Pankaj Khabiya and Bharat Ranka – two young entrepreneurs, offers merchandise that look just like leather but isn’t made of the same. The source material is plant fibre and wood pulp. Recently, they have launched a collection named Acorn Collection, made of specially processed wood and plant fibre pulp, combined with other recycled cellulose, paper and natural fibres. They have several clients based in Hyderabad. Pankaj Khabiya, founder and design head tells more:

What made you start this venture? 
The need for quality leather-free products for men in the Indian fashion market and the surprising lack of options in them spurred the founders to start Ethik. It is one of India’s earliest vegan brands to offer premium non-leather shoes, belts, wallets and accessories for men. We are against animal cruelty and offer top-notch fashion products which are eco-friendly. 

Where do you source the material from? What technology is being used?
The material used for producing the shoes is high-quality microfiber made in the state of the art labs of developed countries, which undergo processing to inherit the look, feel and features like leather.  The latest addition to the materials is the Acorn material which is a 100 per cent eco-friendly, recyclable -- made from plants. This material, used for making the brands accessories is produced by special processing of plant and wood fibre pulp, combined with other recycled cellulose, paper and natural fibres. Products made from this material pass all testing including REACH, ROHS and Oeko tex.

How durable is the material as compared to leather/faux leather?
The material has good tensile strength, it is waterproof, flexible, dust resistant, lightweight and durable, making it a dynamic and versatile material ideal for manufacturing of shoes, belts, jackets, school bags, sporting goods, sofas and more. The brand ensures that the materials undergo thorough testing & match or exceed the benchmark on most performance parameters.  Some of the materials being 100% recyclable and eco-friendly.

What kind of designs are available? And how durable are they?
We offer a select curation of styles in the premium lifestyle footwear category for men. The brand currently has over 50 designs for formal, casual, semi-formal & event wear. From lace-ups to slip-ons in popular colours and comfort fits, the products endure wear and tear thus lasting longer. Popular designs among their customers are the Happy Go Lucky (office wear), Drumroll (Loafers) and the Out Of The Blu (Party wear). We also make wallets.

Saima Afreen
 saima@newindianexpress.com 
 @Sfreen