Made-in-Greece brand Laiik launch their first eco-friendly leather sneaker that’s fit for the goddess Artemis herself.
Three years after redefining the classic Greek leather sandal for the modern American and international woman, US-based footwear brand Laiik are expanding their proud Greek craftsmanship into one of the market’s most popular and competitive categories: hand-crafted, leather sneakers.
With their playful aesthetic that blends modern with classic tradition, Laiik spent over a year designing and refining their first, sumptuous and environmentally-responsible leather sneaker - the Artemis.
“Like the Greek goddess of the hunt herself, we wanted to build a sneaker at one with the natural world,” Laiik co-founder Helene Theros tells Greek City Times.
“So we set out to create something exceptional, a beautiful sneaker that is at once uniquely Greek – classically stylish, durable, comfortable – yet most importantly, raising the bar when it comes to environmental responsibility and sustainability.”
Just like the brand’s handmade sandals, it always starts with the leather.
The sneaker is dressed on the outside with a mixture of buttery vegetable-tanned and chromium-free leathers free from harmful toxins that pollute ground-water. And on the inside, the Artemis’s leather lining is non-toxic, completely biodegradable, breathable and incredibly soft.
“From the beginning, we knew we wanted this shoe to contribute towards, and even raise the bar for, a sustainable fashion cycle,” Helene says, “but of course as a sneakerhead myself, I really didn’t want us to sacrifice comfort or style.
“I think we’re achieving that,” she adds.
Not satisfied with only what’s on top, Laiik made sure that its environmental footprint mattered where the rubber meets the road. Quite literally.
After searching across Europe, Laiik discovered a sole manufacturer in Portugal with an innovative line of rubber sneaker soles utilising 70% recycled rubber.
According to Helene’s brother and co-founder, Nickolas, “We really did want to leave no stone unturned when it came to being future friendly. Once, however long from now, the soles of our Artemis sneaker have finished their life cycle, they can be again reprocessed as new material for new sneakers. We’re pretty excited about that.”
Available initially in three rich textures and colours, including a textured all white and a Hellenic blue and white, the Artemis features little big details, most noticeably its proud λ (lambda) swoosh and a touch of Greek inspired hardware.
Always hand-crafted, Laiik’s Artemis sneaker, as well as its collection of sandals, shoes and boots, are made proudly in two family-owned factories in Athens, Greece from the best European materials they can find.
To learn more about Laiik and its ethos, visit laiik.com or Instagram at @lovelaiik
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