Lightweight, high-performance, water-repellent hemp shoes: crowdfunding is a success

The hemp shoes of tomorrow are called DopeKicks . They have a hemp upper and a recycled rubber sole and have been a hit in the new project launched by a group of young people on Kickstarter. Against a request of 8 thousand dollars, the project has collected more than 245 thousand , and is now preparing to hit the jackpot on Indiegogo too.

"When we started DopeKicks, we had one idea in mind: to build the most beautiful, eco-friendly, super-resistant and waterproof shoes and make them accessible to everyone," the creators say, explaining that: "It took 4 months of sampling and traveling to find the right suppliers. We had to ensure that our material had the best resistance while remaining flexible and durable."

On the recycling of rubber for soles they explain that: «We have partnered with expert Portuguese sole producers to create recycled soles made from old shoes. They are flexible, resistant and save the environment at the same time».
The global footwear industry produces over 25 billion pairs a year, and most of them end up in landfill, or worse, in our oceans. For the insoles, cork was chosen, a natural and non-deformable shock-absorbing material that always regains its shape after many years of use. At the same time, it regulates temperature and keeps feet cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

"At DopeKicks, we spent months searching for the right hemp supplier to ensure a premium fabric that is not only durable and flexible, but also waterproof and dustproof. Our hemp is created to repel all water that enters. During the manufacturing process, we added a special coating layer that protects the fabric and its properties from stains, liquids and dust particles."