Sustainable shoe brand RE49: RE-use, RE-cycle, RE-duce

“Nothing is wasted. Everything can be reused. You just need good ideas and love” – that’s the motto of sustainable shoe brand RE49. Founded in the year 1949, the company’s mission has been to take action for the climate and make a difference for future generations from the very beginning.

Since its inception by Valentino Masolini, the first craftsman and visionary of the family, over 70 years ago, RE49 developed from a traditional leather shoe production to a sustainable, circular economy business. Today the company is led by his great-grandson, Nicola Masolini, who produces shoe models with recycled waste materials made in Italy. All RE49 collections are limited editions created with passion and 100 percent traceable through the Blockchain.

Innovations in circularity and traceability

RE49 strives for a slower economy that uses resources efficiently and takes social and environmental factors into account. The brand's production and consumption cycle is closed, using only materials that already exist, creating circular fashion. The production method is 100 percent carbon neutral and the company aims to reduce its total carbon footprint to zero in less than five years.

To ensure full traceability throughout the whole supply chain, the brand uses blockchain technology. A microchip in the shoe tongue of RE49's models provides detailed information about the manufacturing process and materials.

Repurposed materials

The materials used for the shoe production are the heart of RE49. “Our mission is to repurpose discarded objects and transform them into precious works of art to be worn with pride, because RE49 shoes are a message of love to our planet, from the moment they are born, to when they are chosen,” says CEO Nicola Masolini on the brand’s website.

Forgotten beach chairs and parasols, as well as discarded spinnakers that have sailed through countless ocean waves, are transformed into RE49's unique shoes. The waste materials that would otherwise have ended up in landfill are recycled, cleaned and tailored to the different models. Inserts, laces, soles, labels and packaging are all also made from recycled materials.

PETA approved vegan

All RE49 shoe collections are PETA-approved vegan and cruelty free. The certification from PETA, the largest animal welfare organisation in the world, guarantees that no part of the shoes contains material of animal origin and has not been tested on animals.

For the future, RE49 dreams of a global shift towards true sustainable fashion and recycling as the new luxury. With its ethical, vegan and circular production, the brand is well on its way to becoming a pioneer of sustainable luxury with both today and tomorrow in mind.