CROWN - Croatian World Network - http://www.croatia.org/crown
MIRET ecological sneakers made with 97% natural materials
http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11269/1/MIRET-ecological-sneakers-made-with-97-natural-materials.html
By Nenad N. Bach and Darko Žubrinić
Published on 12/3/2020
 
Hrvoje and Domagoj Boljar, from the town of Duga Resa near the city of Karlovac, Croatia: "We are industry insiders who have inherited a factory from our father in our 20s. We have manufactured sneakers for some of the most famous high-end brands in the world. We realised that the footwear industry is horrible to the environment. So we set out to use our manufacturing experience to really redesign shoes from bottom up and make them compatible with nature. Step into durable and comfy unisex sneakers and leave no toxic legacy to the next generations that will walk the Earth."

Directed by Hrvoje and Domagoj Boljar, Duga Resa, Croatia

Brothers Hrvoje and Domagoj Boljar, initiators of the MIRET ecological sneakers project (photo by Goran Stanzl, Pixsell)



Hrvoje and Domagoj Boljar, from the town of Duga Resa near the city of Karlovac, Croatia


MIRET senakers
produced in
the town of Duga Resa near the city of Karlovac, Croatia

We are live on Kickstarter from March 3rd to April 2nd 2020. Step into durable and comfy unisex sneakers and leave no toxic legacy to the next generations that will walk the Earth.

You can support our campaign for innovative sneakers.

Follow us on social media:

www.facebook.com/miret.longfringe

www.instagram.com/miret.sneakers

  • 20 000 000 000 pairs of Human shoes are produced every year.
  • They are made mostly out of leather and synthetics.
  • 85% of leather contains Chromium.
  • Chromium is 4th worst toxic pollutant in the world.
  • Only 5% gets recycled.

www.miret.co




MIRET ecological sneakers - made with 97% natural materials

Hrvoje and Domagoj Boljar
from the town of Duga Resa near the city of Karlovac, Croatia

Step into durable and comfy unisex sneakers and leave no toxic legacy to the next generations that will walk the Earth.

We are industry insiders who have inherited a factory from our father in our 20s. We have manufactured sneakers for some of the most famous high-end brands in the world. We realised that the footwear industry is horrible to the environment. So we set out to use our manufacturing experience to really redesign shoes from bottom up and make them compatible with nature.



Brothers Hrvoje and Domagoj Boljar


Our Story


We are MIRET and we have combined the strongest natural fibres to craft sneakers which are kind to your feet as much as they are kind to nature. Not only can they substitute synthetic materials, but in many ways they are far better than plastic. We are using 10 amazing plants: hemp, kenaf, linen, cork tree, wood, corn, jute, eucalyptus, rubber tree and New Zealand wool to craft our 97% ecological MIRET sneakers.

We are industry insiders who have inherited a factory from our father in our 20s. We have manufactured sneakers for some of the most famous high-end brands in the world. We realised that the footwear industry is toxic to nature because the materials used to make shoes are downright horrible.

Footwear has a detrimental effect on the environment. Made out of plastic and leather, 20.000.000.000 pairs were manufactured just in 2019. Polyester and rubber are made from oil derivatives and are the source of micro-plastics that pollute our grounds, seas, air, water, and ultimately ending up on our plates. Most people think that leather is natural, but actually, it is filled with extremely toxic chemicals. 85% of all leather contains a heavy metal called chromium which is the 4th worst toxic pollutant in the world. When trends fade, we discard sneakers while putting an unbearable burden on Earth's ecosystems.

Using our manufacturing expertise we have redesigned sneakers from the bottom up, making them compatible with nature. We decided to change ourselves, our setting and most importantly - the industry.

We have traveled the world searching for new materials. It was a five-year-long journey of research, tests and development filled with ups and downs, tears and joy.

The result of our quest are MIRET super natural materials. Not only can they substitute synthetic materials but in many ways they are far better than plastic. We are using 10 amazing plants: hemp, kenaf, linen, cork tree, wood, corn, jute, eucalyptus, rubber tree and New Zealand wool to craft our 97% ecological MIRET sneakers.

That means they are almost entirely made out of natural materials, safe for the environment and your health. The remaining 3% is synthetic glue and polyester thread. We will tackle this 3% very soon. Our vision is to create a 100% ecological and home-compostable sneaker, and with each new generation MIRET sneakers we are getting closer to this goal.

Source www.miret.co







Radeći 10 godina u obućarskoj industriji za neke od najprestižnijih brendova na svijetu, imali smo rijetku priliku vidjeti skrivenu stranu te industrije. Doživjeli smo trenutak otrježnjenja i osvijestili koliko negativan utjecaj obućarska industrija ima na okoliš. Godišnje se proizvede 20 milijardi pari plastične i kožne obuće, što je dovoljno da se Zemlja okruži s 300 linija obuće - svake godine.

MIRET je jedan od globalnih pionira na području ekološki održive obuće i jedan od prvih koji nudi radikalni zaokret. Naš je glavni cilj osvijestiti javnost o negativnom utjecaju obuće na okoliš. Braća Hrvoje i Domagoj Boljar osnivači su startupa MIRET u kojemu stvaraju najekološkije tenisice na svijetu.

S više od 9 godina iskustva kao voditelj odjela za dizajn i razvoj obuće u tvornici obuće i magisterijem iz industrijskog dizajna, Hrvoje (34) surađivao je s mnogo cijenjenih modnih brendova kao dizajner i kao direktor razvoja proizvoda. S više od 11 godina iskustva u svojstvu voditelja tvornice obuće u Hrvatskoj, Domagoj (35), ekonomist poduzetništva, ima široko znanje u vođenju poduzeća, financiranju i organizaciji proizvodnje.

Hrvoje i Domagoj zajedno rade na privatnim i poslovnim projektima cijeli život.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.