THE MARABU - OUR RECYCLING SOL(E)UTION
BACKGROUND STORY
The Marabu Prototype surely has an extraordinary story. Based on a groundbreaking journalistic investigation our innovation experts and product designers developed the Marabu, a recycling-sneaker which helps cleaning up textile waste in Africa.
Our Marabu sneaker goes beyond its unique design. It is a true impact product and addresses one of the largest waste problems of our time. How? Together with industry experts, social entrepreneurs and research institutions we came up with probably one of the most consequential sneaker recycling approaches, you have ever seen. Sounds bold? Well, it is!
So why naming it “Marabu”? Marabu is the German name of a bird that is widely spread on the waste dump of Dandora close to Nairobi, Kenya. Just like our sneaker, it is “eating up” waste. And it points to the unique starting point of our project, the Sneaker-Hunt ("Die Sneakerjagd").
In 2021, the media-startup FLIP initiated a large-scale investigation into the global textile waste problem, the Sneaker-Hunt ("Die Sneakerjagd”). The reporters wanted to investigate what happens to our shoes after we dispose them of? Can we trust the sustainability promises of manufacturers and retailers? What consequences does our shoe consumption have for the environment, our health and the rest of the world?
To answer these questions, the reporters concealed GPS trackers in the soles of old sneakers worn by eleven celebrities, such as Jan Delay, Caroline Kebekus and Linda Zervakis. They then fed the GPS sneakers into various disposal channels and hunted them for months around the world. “Sneakerjagd” uncovered that so-called recycling programs for sneakers are often plain greenwashing. “Sneakerjagd” also documented the export of worn-out sneakers to African countries where they cause huge environmental problems. In Kenya, for example, the GPS sneakers led the reporters to apocalyptic and illegal waste sites full of old textiles, such as the infamous Dandora waste dump.
After the „Sneakerjagd“ was published with an overall reach of around 10 mio. people, FLIP teamed up with the Munich sneaker label MONACO DUCKS to develop a solution to the problem. The Flip reporters covered the months-long journey from idea to first prototype as the „Sneaker-Experiment“ to make the whole process absolutely transparent and educate the public. From here on, GRND, a new company, is responsible for the realization of the Marabu.
At the same time, this is the birth of GRND. This is a new company that will try to make the Marabu a success.
THE PROBLEM
Everyone who has seen that the GPS sneakers led the reporters to this apocalyptic scenery in Kenya, was shocked. A lot of our sneakers, shoes or clothes go from being “unwanted” in our wardrobe to these landfills. The problem is that there is no proper solution for the afterlife of our shoes in Africa. Almost no recycling or controlled incineration. Most just end up polluting the environmental and threatening the health of the people on the ground. It’s a dirty principle at the heart of today’s fashion industry: Out of sight, out of mind.
THE SOLUTION
Our goal is to reverse this flow of commodities. Together with your help, we want to collect old sneakers in Kenya before they can pollute the environment, grind the soles and use the recyclate (our GRND) to produce new sneakers. This is how the Marabu comes to life.
Marabu is designed to do good in Kenya: Cleaning up the environment and support local companies. Plus, our GRND sneaker is climate-friendly, long-lasting and easy to recycle. Lastly, we want to educate about this topic and raise awareness.
OUR MARABU SNEAKER
The Marabu is the heart of our solution to address one of the biggest challenges of our time. We dedicated months of development into this product and are proud to present to you our thoughts regarding design, added value, technical features as well as craftsmanship.
DESIGN
When we designed Marabu, we followed the ideas of clean, simple, slightly avant-garde, and functional. Hence, the classic look and elements such as the hidden shoelace bar, the unique positioning and type of the logo, as well as small decorative seams indicating a sporty, avant-garde design with appreciation towards its craftsmanship.
The colors of the three Marabu-models reflect a light freshness and lightness that can be worn by everyone of any gender, to every occasion all year long, at day and night. You can chose the colors white, mint and marino.
The unique sole is a key visual and reflects its materials’ origins.
The Marabu sneaker is always the right companion. It is super light, extremely comfortable, breathable and water repellent, sportive and elegant, chic and sustainable.
VALUE-ADD
Marabu is designed to be more than just a fashion piece. It is a statement-piece, a statement of awareness.
For us, the sneaker symbolizes 4 things:
- Sustainable design: The entire sneaker including laces and packaging are mostly made of recycled material and is designed for recycling.
- Circular infrastructure: With our take-back and deposit system we make sure our beloved shoes find their way back home. The idea is to close the loop and recycle as much of the product as possible.
- Awareness & education: The design, material and communication are all made to raise awareness for one of the biggest waste problems of our time. By wearing this shoe, you stand for awareness and that you do care about our planet and the people we share it with.
- Social responsibility: We, the Western civilization, are behind the linear logic of fashion and hence the cause for the enormous textile waste dumps in Africa. That’s why we and our local partners in Kenya take action trying to improve the situation on site in small steps.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Other sneakers normally consist of around 30 components. For our sneaker Marabu we only use 15 components of which 13 consist of recycled material. Due to used and innovative materials as well as the European craftsmanship, Marabu is a very long-lasting shoe!
Laces:
Details matter. In order to guarantee the best recycling rates, we developed metal free laces made of recycled PES.
Upper recycled materials:
With our upper shoe, we solely focused on recycled and recycable characteristics. 88,2% of the upper material is made of recycled material, which is the reason for high energy savings in the production. The upper is largely made of (recycled) polyester from certified sources.
Furthermore, our upper material is easy to the skin, extremely durable and stress-resistant, weather-resistant, easy to clean, low-maintenance, consists of an water-repellent surface and simply looks amazing and high-quality.
Footbed:
The removable footbed is made of recycled PU-foam, offers flexibility and guarantees maximum comfort. It is removeable and can be replaced at any time so the entire shoe does not have to be completely disposed once worn off. The innovative use of materials also increases the wearing comfort. We paid extra attention to shock absorption and breathability without losing sight of the ecological aspect. Marabu is temperature-regulating as well, so a perfect companion for every weather and temperature.
GRND sole:
The awareness piece of the sneaker due to its eye-catching appearance. The visible shredded sole parts directly point to the story of the GRND sneaker. Through a specially made natural rubber compound, the sneaker's ecological footprint is taken care of despite the colorful particles. Here, abrasion of microplastics is minimized and taken into account.
Our „African grind“ makes each of our sneakers a unique copy. With extensive R&D (research & development) we made it to use up to 25% of recycled grind in our soles. This is the absolute maximum that is technically possible and an absolute unique selling point.
Outsole natural rubber:
The base material for our sole is an absolute highlight and was specially developed for Marabu. It consists of an innovative, cutting-edge formula that allows us to use around 90% of renewable resources: 60% natural rubber and 30% rice husk. As far as we know, this is groundbreaking and has never been there before!
CRAFTSMANSHIP
After creating our unique GRND sole, Marabu is handcrafted in a family-run shoe factory in Portugal. Our product developers and designers already have years of experience in this field and screened the market for the most innovative, progressive and sustainable factories. We already have years of experience in collaborating cutting-edge designs and crazy innovative ideas with the owners and managers of our partner firm. We guarantee the highest quality possible for a good price and high standards for all employees.
THE PARTNERS
DON'T WASTE ME - SEND ME BACK
We made a long-lasting sneaker so you can wear it as long as possible. However, once the day has come, please send your Marabu back to us and get 10€ in return! This way we protect your sneaker from the journey of many shoes out there: to the landfill in Africa.
Exclusively for this crowdfunding campaign we include the 10€ deposit in the crowdfunding price. So you do not need to pay the deposit on top!
Once you returned the sneaker, you can choose between a 10€ cashback or 20€ voucher for your next purchase with us!
SIZE GUIDE
Looking for the right size? Please feel to reach out to us at any time! And in case Marabu does not fit right away, do not worry, we can exchange it!
TIMELINE
TEAM
We are a young team originally coming from founding startup companies FLIP and MONACO DUCKS, now we go on working together under the new roof of GRND. We are experts in product development and sustainability as well as circular economy. Together as a team and in collaboration with you we want to address the textile waste problem, raise awareness and educate.