People and Leaders Textiles, Fashion, Sports and Footwear

Leonardo DiCaprio Invests in Bioplastics Shoes

Leonardo DiCaprio invests in eco footwear company Allbirds that uses bioplastics produced by Braskem.

Allbirds launched a range of flip-flops called Sugar Zeffers sold at 35$. The soles of the flip flops are made from sugarcane bioplastics instead of EVA foam (Ethylene-vinyl acetate). EVA foam is also called poly ethylene-vinyl acetate (PEVA) or expanded rubber or foam rubber.

The material of the soles is sugarcane bioplastics produced by Braskem (Brazil) trademarked SWEETFOAM™ and referred to as bio-EVA.

The sugarcane used by Sweetfoam comes from South Brazil and is treated using very little fertilizer. The sugarcane is processed in facilities running on renewable energy so SweetFoam material is technically speaking the world’s first carbon negative EVA polymer.

How is it made? Simplified: the sugarcane is refined into molasses using a sugar mill. The sugars (glucose) in the molasses are converted into ethanol by using yeast. Special additives are then added to make Sweetfoam.

bioplastics shoes allbirds leonardo dicaprio

Leonardo di Caprio said:

“Creating sustainable consumer products requires a deep commitment from brands that understand the role they have in helping solve our environmental crisis. Allbirds is on the forefront of developing new materials that will serve as a model for the footwear industry.”


San Francisco based company Allbirds was created by New Zealand born Tim Brown who wanted to use merino wool in footwear. He teamed up with Joey Zwillinger, an engineer and renewables expert. Allbirds launched its first shoe, the Wool Runner, in March 2016, and it was dubbed “the world’s most comfortable shoe” by TIME Magazine.

allbirds bioplastics


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