XpreSole is a footwear maker that turns used coffee grounds into shoes. We’ve been keeping track on XpreSole since their first offering in 2020 and they are back now here in the early part of 2023 with a new style and an update to a previous release, and they’re both live on Kickstarter now.
First up is the Panto. We reported on the Panto boot back in 2021, when it was first released via Kickstarter, and it is back again. The waterproof, sock-less boot consists of 30% used coffee grounds in both the upper shell and the outsole. The liner is made of “S. Cafe fabric”—an upcycled coffee material—along with neoprene and lyrcra. The boot is quick-drying, temperature regulating, and odor-resistant. And each pair uses the equivalent of 15 cups of coffee, upcycling them to keep them out of the landfill. Coming in both a high- and low-top design, the Panto previously raised over $55,000 in a previous Kickstarter campaign, but they are back again for a second round of funding.
Color options for the Panto include: white vanilla latte, black americano, brown mocha, and black espresso.
And then there are the Blocks. The latest offering from XpreSole has all the same features as the Panto, with one notable design difference: the soles. I’m not really sure how else to describe it other than “if stepping on a Lego went high fashion.” The Blocks live up to its name, with a pixelated sole that looks like it came straight out of the Lego Design Studio. With the “increased stack height” of the sole, XpreSole states that the Block has “amplified cushioning and better motion support” as compared to that of the lower-profile sole of the Panto.
Expanding on the colorway offerings of the Panto, the Blocks come in: brown mocha, black americano, and white vanilla as well as new options matcha au lait and pumpkin spice latte.
With over six weeks left in the campaign, XpreSole has already smashed their $5,000 goal, raising nearly $35,000. But there are still lots of deals left for would-be backers. Each shoe option is still available at 20% of the MSRP, ranging from $84 for the Panto Low to $109 for the Blocks High. Backer rewards are expected to begin shipping out in June.
For more information, visit the XpreSole Kickstarter campaign.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
All images via XpreSole
