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Towards new designs: what are our sneakers made of?



What do a bottle and a pineapple have in common? They can both be used to make a sneaker! Made from recycled plastic bottles, grapes or apples, it's time for a revolution in the materials on our feet. The brands offered by L'Exception are pushing innovation ever further to offer unique and more eco-friendly sneakers.

Give way to recycled materials



The French brand Corail was founded in 2018 by two longtime friends, Paul Guedj and Alexis Troccaz, who were passionate about sneakers and revolted by the amounts of plastic waste found on the beaches of southern France. The two friends decided to join forces with fishermen from Marseilles to recover as many plastic bottles as possible from the Mediterranean coast. After being washed, sorted, crushed and transformed into fabric, the marine waste is transformed into sturdy, 100% recycled and vegan sneakers. The brand thus contributes to local de-pollution and supports the activity of Marseille's fishermen by providing them with an additional income.


The OTA brand (for On The Asphalt) offers an innovative concept: it uses recycled tires to design the soles of its sneakers. The tire is very polluting, since it is a non-biodegradable waste that takes over 600 to decompose. OTA decided to give these tires a second life to limit their environmental impact. After two years of development and testing, this innovative and 100% recycled sole was born. The brand also uses recycled rubber and plastic for some of its models and complies with European REACH regulations, guaranteeing that animal leather is tanned without substances that are harmful to humans and the environment. OTA also offers the Gravière model, made entirely of recycled materials: in addition to recycled tire soles, rubber and plastic, the model is made of recycled leather from garden glove scraps.


Pretty, pretty fruit salad



L'Exception focuses on designers who seek to use the most innovative materials, such as fruit. That's what the MoEa brand - a contraction of "Mother Earth" - offers, combining fashion and science to produce vegan sneakers made from fruit. The shoes in her collection are made from apples, grapes, pineapples and even cacti. They are durable and comfortable materials similar to leather. The apple, grape and pineapple pairs are made from the waste products from the food industry, thus avoiding waste.


The Zèta brand is also experimenting in the fruit, offering grape sneakers made from waste from wine production for its Alpha model. From the sole to the shoebox, the brand selects only recycled and repurposed materials as substitutes for petroleum-derived materials on all of its collections.


The Barcelona-based label SAYE creates shoes that are 100% made in Europe and 100 urable. Its mango waste and cactus-based sneaker models, vegan, comfortable and resistant, are the cutting edge of the combination of comfort and innovation. The Smart Choice plus: for every pair produced, SAYE commits to planting two trees.


Each style, its own pair



The eco-responsible sneaker brands offered by L'Exception each maintain a particular universe, where each one will be able to find itself.

Wear a sober and minimalist pair for everyday



The Marseille, an iconic model from the Corail brand, is the ideal pair for a cool and minimalist style, perfect for strolling along the streets of Marseille. Hyper resistant, it is the pair that can accompany you everywhere and in all seasons.


Zèta offers sneakers with a signature design declined in several immaculate colors. Velcro or lace-up, its all-purpose pairs allow you to sport a casual and comfortable style.


At OTA, the Kelwood low-top sneakers combine simplicity with sober colors and are the perfect pair for everyday wear. The model comes in several soft shades, white or solid black to match any style.


Finally, SAYE immerses us in a retro yet timeless world with its Modélo 89' model, in solid or pastel colors.

Reveal your style with a graphic and colorful pair



For those nostalgic for the pop colors of the '90s, Moea offers retro-styled sneakers brightened up by vibrant colors. Each color corresponds to the plant chosen for the design of the sneaker: red for apple, yellow for pineapple, green for cactus, beige for corn. As for the All In model, it is composed of all these fruits for a bold mix of materials and a joyful multicolor style.


The brand Caval offers a novel concept: sneakers with a mismatched style, with a right shoe and a left shoe that complement each other through a play of asymmetry in shapes or colors. Its philosophy: we have two feet, why wear two identical sneakers? Their pairs advocate the difference, the audacity and the emancipation of the codes. The explosion of colors and the diversity of patterns allows everyone to express their style with gaiety. Vegan or recycled models, made in Portugal and guaranteeing quality craftsmanship, at Caval, everyone will find a shoe to fit.


The sneaker, an iconic piece of our wardrobe



A real craze surrounds the sneaker. Initially a purely functional shoe, it has become a real style marker, ranging from streetstyle to casual chic. The models are reinvented and follow one another, but the myth that surrounds them never dissipates.By putting on his sneakers, its wearer makes the choice to mark his belonging to a universe, whether it is sports, urban, or chic. But he also stands out from the others because of his preferences regarding the sneaker. The choice of colors, design and materials offers him the possibility to assert his individuality.L'Exception recommends the meticulous maintenance of his pair of sneakers to extend its life. Shoeing iconic and timeless pairs is to ensure that you never get tired of them and prioritize quality over quantity. Discover this selection of eco-responsible sneakers, L'Exception offers a wide selection of sizes for you to find your favorite pair.