Bronze Footwear, Shoes and Boots Design · 2021
GreenPlax Tess Footwear
by Wilson Hsu
- A' Design Award 2021 Bronze Winner in Footwear, Shoes and Boots Design
- Awarded April 15, 2021
- CLIENT: Ccilu International Inc.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 39,589
- Verification code 24E8C8BDF2 · Verify this award
About GreenPlax Tess Footwear
GreenPlax Tess designs as a reminder for the bottle upcycling process. Every 20 plastic bottles recycle material can make one pair of GreenPlax Tess in every major component. The outsole is particularly made from straight scraps of bottles while imitating its shapes. The color palette and silhouette design also replicate some beverage brands to create a direct visual impact, as a reminder for people of the sustainable issues from plastic bottles throw-away behaviors. It is also water-repellent, dirt-proof, and moisture-wicking. Sustainability is their forwarding mission bear in mind.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Ccilu upcycles plastic bottles by brand and turns them into every major component of GreenPlax Tess. The outsole is particularly made from straight scraps of the bottles while imitating its curves and shapes, which creates direct visual impacts. One pair of shoes upcycles 20 plastic bottles, and it is also water-repellent, dirt/oil proof, anti-UV, air-breathable, moisture-wicking, fast-drying, odor/mildew-control, resilient, supportive, and great grip.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- For Man's US 9: 11 mm x 29.5 mm x 10 mm for one foot.
Made from a special RPET compound containing Recycled Plastic bottles and the best quality and super lightweight EVA. - Tags
- sustainability, recycle, reuse, re-purpose, Global warming, climate change, Eco-friendly, Ccilu, GreenPlax, PPET
- Production Technology
- Ccilu upcycles the bottles and makes them into the RPET yarns used in the upper, where some arrows of recycled perform and decorate, and the sock-liner. Exclusively invented the patented tech to fuse and foam the straight scraps, including the caps and the labels, of the bottles with polyurethane which is to form the outsole. Upcycle the bottles by beverage brand and make them into corresponding product SKUs. The shape and the curve of the outsole were inspired by the bottle too so that it has strong associations and engagements among the specific beverage brand.
- Design Challenge
- In the past, the industry was simply able to upcycle the bottles and make them the fabrics used in the upper and sock-liner. Every brand was not much different. With the new design and new tech Ccilu further upcycles the bottles and turns them into the outsole carrying strong visual impacts. Ccilu significantly increases the usage of the bottles in the footwear, as well as draws more interest from the users, who are the most critical part of the social movements and the circular economy. GreenPlax Tess supports Ccilu to be one step closer to its brand vision which is to develop the first carbon-neutral footwear by the end of 2021.
- Project Duration
- The project started in July 2019 in Taiwan and finished in August 2020 in Taiwan, and planned to go to market in Q3 2021.
- Operation Flow
- The engineered recycled plastic bottle makes the upper, with a special layer of nano-level coating, provides the full set of functional features including water-repellent, dirt and oil proof, anti-UV, and air-breathable. The organic sock-liner offers moisture-wicking, fast-drying, and odor control. The high-tech sole is responsive, resilient, supportive, and great grip. Users are able to wear it on all kinds of occasions and all day long. Persist with all the core values of a high-quality sneaker and offers unique footwear experiences while it is made from recycled plastic bottles, with sustainable mindsets and technologies.
- Research
- The first plastic bottle was invented in 1947 and till today it has become the most important element in our daily life. However, it is also one of the most devastating issues in our environment and health. Use design-driven and patented technologies to significantly reduce the number of wasted bottles and increase awareness of people and understanding of the concepts and real products of the circular economy. From water, beverage, food, cosmetics, and any other business that needs plastic containers, many leading companies are able to join our efforts and make it a global and long-term movement for mother earth.
- Inspiration
- The world consumes 1 million plastic bottles every minute and simply 4% of them are properly recycled, others mostly end up in the oceans and through the food chain come back to us in the form of micro-plastics. Every week each of us ingests 5 grams of micro-plastics which equals 1 credit card. The one-time used plastic bottles bring terrible impacts on our environment as well as our health. Ccilu comes up with the designs and the tech of upcycling the hazardous wastes to turn them into it.
- Image Credits
- Image #No1,2,3,4,5: Photographer / Illustrator / Creator (Joseph Chang/Ccilu international Inc.)
Colors of GreenPlax Tess Footwear
Grand Interview about GreenPlax Tess Footwear
The visual design of GreenPlax Tess Footwear effectively raises awareness about plastic waste by creating a direct link between the shoe and its recycled origin. The outsole is designed to mimic plastic bottle parts, providing a constant visual reminder of the material's source. The overall aesthetic, including colors and silhouette, is inspired by beverage bottle brands, prompting consumers to consider their consumption habits and the issue of plastic waste. This design serves as tangible proof of concept for the circular economy, demonstrating how waste can be transformed into desirable products. Furthermore, the unique appearance of the shoe acts as a conversation starter, allowing wearers to share the story behind the footwear and advocate for sustainable practices. The design uses "dynamic aesthetics" to convey a message of transformation and highlight the need to address plastic pollution.
The key technical challenge was transforming rigid PET bottle shatter into a high-performance, flexible outsole material with excellent grip and durability, properties very different from the original material. The team overcame this through their patented GreenPlax® technology, involving a specific process to sort, clean, shred, and pelletize the plastic shatter into a concentrate masterbatch, enabling injection molding into complex, functional shoe components. This process allowed the creation of a material with comparable performance to virgin materials, while maintaining properties like water resistance and elasticity.
GreenPlax balanced sustainability with comfort and functionality by transforming plastic shatter into highly functional material through patented technology and incorporating additional comfort elements. Material Science: The core GreenPlax® technology sorts, cleans, and processes plastic bottles into a concentrate masterbatch that is injection molded into flexible yet resilient components, including the outsole.Performance Integration: A special nano-level coating provides water repellency, dirt/oil proofing, and breathability, allowing the recycled material to perform like high-performance functional apparel fabrics.Comfort Engineering: The design incorporates an organic sock-liner for moisture-wicking and odor control, and a responsive high-tech sole offering resilience and support, ensuring comfort comparable to traditional high-quality sneakers.Multi-component approach: The entire shoe (upper, insole, outsole) is made with the help of recycled plastics, proving that a circular economy approach can meet rigorous performance and comfort standards without compromise.
The bold design decision to reference specific beverage brands was inspired by the desire to create a direct visual impact and act as a stark reminder of plastic bottle waste. The aim was to force consumers to confront the impact of their "throw-away behaviors" by associating everyday waste with a tangible, high-quality product. This design choice has significantly impacted consumer engagement:Increased Interest: The strong visual associations draw more interest from users who are the most critical part of social movements.Conversation Starter: The unique, instantly recognizable design encourages wearers to share the story behind the footwear, advocating for sustainable practices and the circular economy concept.Tangible Proof of Concept: It provides tangible evidence that plastic waste can be upcycled into desirable, functional products, strengthening brand trust and loyalty among eco-conscious consumers.
The research and development (R&D) process for the GreenPlax Tess Footwear involved a five-year endeavor by CCILU's R&D team to address the challenge of transforming rigid PET plastic into a versatile, high-performance footwear material. Key insights into the R&D process include the goal to move beyond using recycled plastic only for fabric uppers and develop technology to incorporate it into all major components, including the outsole. The focus was on material science, leading to a patented process that gave the upcycled plastic the flexibility, resilience, grip, and durability needed for footwear. The process involved collecting and sorting ocean plastics, preparing a raw material, and utilizing a proprietary high-temperature method to create a "concentrate masterbatch" for injection molding.
To achieve carbon neutrality by near future , GreenPlax (CCILU) explored various innovations and modifications to the Tess Footwear design and production process. Key strategies included replacing petroleum-based materials with GreenPlax® in shoe components and adopting a circular economy approach by upcycling plastic bottles and implementing a reverse logistics program for worn shoes. Production efforts involved investing in a local recycling plant and designing a low-impact manufacturing process. CCILU also developed technologies to upcycle materials like spent coffee grounds (XpreSole® technology) for other product lines. The carbon-neutral claim was intended for verification by an independent third party.
1. Creates an Unavoidable Reality Check: By replicating the distinct color palettes and silhouettes of recognizable beverage brands, the footwear provides a direct visual impact. It forces consumers to confront their personal "throw-away behaviors" by immediately linking the shoes to the actual plastic bottles they purchase and discard daily.2. Acts as a Visible Reminder of the Process: The design choice serves as a clear, literal reminder of the upcycling journey. Because the outsole specifically imitates the physical shapes of these beverage containers (and utilizes material from recycled bottles), it bridges the gap between waste and consumer product.3. Demonstrates a Clear Mathematical Proof of Concept: Seeing familiar brand elements emphasizes the tangible impact of recycling. Consumers can easily visualize how their waste is converted, understanding that it takes exactly 20 recycled plastic bottles to create the major components of a single pair of water-repellent, functional footwear.Ultimately, this specific aesthetic approach transforms a standard pair of sneakers into an active communication tool, driving awareness by turning abstract sustainability concepts into a highly recognizable, tangible product.
GreenPlax Tess Footwear'snano-level coatingcontributes to sustainability in several ways. It helps prolong the product's life by protecting against damage and stains through water repellency, dirt and oil resistance, and UV protection. The easy-to-clean nature of the coated surface can reduce the need for frequent cleaning and harsh detergents, potentially lowering water and energy use. Furthermore, this coating offers an alternative to traditional waterproofing methods that may contain harmful fluorochemicals (PFAs).
GreenPlax Tess Footwear is expected to influence global industry standards by demonstrating a commercially viable and high-performance model for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. Key influences include:Pioneering Material Science: By transforming problematic, rigid PET waste into a flexible and durable outsole material, GreenPlax shows that high-performance footwear does not need to rely on virgin, petroleum-based materials. This pushes other companies to invest in R&D for innovative, upcycled alternatives.Proof of the Circular Economy Concept: The entire design, from material sourcing to a proposed take-back program for end-of-life shoes, offers a tangible, closed-loop system. This provides a blueprint for the industry to move away from a linear "take-make-dispose" model and embrace a fully circular future.Challenging "Design for Disassembly": The innovation in consolidating complex footwear parts into fewer, integrated components (like a single injection-molded outsole) simplifies the recycling and remanufacturing process at the end of the shoe's life, a key principle in circular design.Increasing Consumer Awareness and Demand: The shoe's bold visual connection to specific beverage brands serves as an ongoing public awareness campaign, educating consumers on the potential of upcycling. As consumers increasingly demand ethically made products, this pushes the entire industry to adopt greener practices to remain competitive.Advocating for Carbon Neutrality: The ambitious goal of achieving carbon-neutral (or even carbon-negative) production sets a new benchmark for environmental responsibility within the industry, encouraging other brands to measure and reduce their own carbon footprints.
Key insights from consumer behavior and environmental impact research drove the evolution of the GreenPlax Tess Footwear design: Environmental Urgency: Research highlighted the severe environmental impact of the traditional linear economy and the specific microplastic pollution from footwear sole fragments, creating a clear mandate for a circular solution. The design directly addresses the "throw-away" culture problem.Consumer Desire for Impact: Consumers are increasingly environmentally conscious and prefer brands that demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainability, rather than just using greenwashing claims. This insight pushed the team to make the shoe's origins visually obvious and authentic.Aesthetics as Advocacy: The design team realized that strong, recognizable aesthetics could serve as powerful communication tools. Mimicking beverage brand colors and bottle shapes makes the product a conversation starter and a tangible proof-of-concept for upcycling, which engages consumers more effectively than abstract claims.Performance is Paramount: Research confirmed that consumers, even when motivated by sustainability, prioritize basic functional attributes like comfort, quality, and performance (water repellency, grip) in footwear. The design evolved to meet these high performance standards using innovative material technology to ensure consumer satisfaction and repeat use.Brand Trust and Transparency: Consumers often express distrust or have limited knowledge regarding sustainable products due to lack of information. The transparent and visually explicit design counters this skepticism by physically demonstrating the source of the materials, thereby building trust and strengthening the brand's reputation.