Reebok Future team came up with the "Cotton + Corn" initiative to create shoes "made from things that grow,'' more specifically, from corn. We eat corn and we use it for biofuel, sure, but now industrial grown corn (a non-food source) will also be used to produce the base of a Reebok shoe, while the upper part will be made of organic cotton. For the project, Reebok partnered with DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, a leading manufacturer of high-performance bio-based solutions.

"This is really just the first step for us," said Bill McInnis, Head of Reebok Future. "With Cotton + Corn we're focused on all three phases of the product lifecycle. First, with product development we're using materials that grow and can be replenished, rather than the petroleum-based materials commonly used today. Second, when the product hits the market we know our consumers don't want to sacrifice on how sneakers look and perform. Finally, we care about what happens to the shoes when people are done with them. So we've focused on plant-based materials such as corn and cotton at the beginning, and compostability in the end."

"We like to say, we are 'growing shoes' here at Reebok," said McInnis. "Ultimately, our goal is to create a broad selection of bio-based footwear that can be composted after use. We'll then use that compost as part of the soil to grow the materials for the next range of shoes. We want to take the entire cycle into account; to go from dust to dust."

We love this idea, how about you - will you try them out and wear sustainable shoes?