There’s even a note inside the box that’s made of wildflower seeds that can be planted. The wooden shoe boxes can be reused and repurposed.

A Hilos-only pair, one that is made exclusively by the company independently of a brand partnership, is probably even more environmentally sensible.Īt the end of life, the shoes can be disassembled and fully recycled and renewed: the TPU can be ground up with no degradation and reused, and the vegetable-tanned leather can be used in other products. It’s actually not the case: a Yale study examining a pair of Helm by Hilos Emmett mules, and Hilos’s supply-chain partners (BASF, HP and AMT), found that over 98 per cent of material needed is recaptured, for a reuse rate of up to 80 per cent. Those unfamiliar with the process might imagine a 3D printer cutting out a shoe shape, with excess material going to waste. TPU also allows for some flexibility and spring. In Hilos’s case, the insole, midsole, outsole, shank and heel are incorporated into a single, recyclable 3D piece, and this helps with the shoes’ durability.

The part is then smoothed and polished, and heads off for assembly. The manufacturing process itself is theoretically simple, too: the 3D printer forms the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) parts by laser, and each part is then de-powdered and cleaned. Hilos’s on-demand approach makes sense: you aren’t left with unwanted inventory, which risks being wasted. However, it takes a slightly greater stretch of the imagination to understand how the process works. There is a pleasing, structural and creative design to Hilos’s range, with the heels and sandals catching our eye, and the materials are literally made for comfort. Hilos ( ), with its 3D-printed footwear range, comprising clogs, mules, loafers, heels and sandals, is no exception. In the 2020s, it’s largely accepted that something that’s sustainable and environmentally friendly can look good.

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