Materials - UNCRUDE

Post extractive prototype 01 _ Plant-based. Plastic free.

Footwear soles are made to be hardy—often outliving the shoe itself.
Most even outlive us.—but at what cost? Made from petroleum-derived plastics like EVA, TPU, and synthetic rubbers, they shed microplastics with every step leaching toxins into our soil and waterways, and the harm lingers long after their use as they take centuries to break down.

Footwear is one of fashion’s most plastic-intensive categories, with over 24 billion pairs produced annually, most of which are destined for landfills after use. While in use too, it is the 7th largest source of microplastic pollution. At A BLUNT STORY, we knew the problem wasn’t just with the scale—it was with the very materials beneath our feet.

Our proprietary soles, UNCRUDE®, look to change that.
Made from carbon-sequestering renewable plant-based materials, they are free from petroleum-derived plastics, resins and synthetic rubbers and are much less carbon intensive. With clean chemistry at its core, UNCRUDE® eliminates harmful toxins, ensuring safety for makers, wearers and the environment.
Designed to address the waste and pollution problems with urgency, they integrate into existing production systems.

Take a look at the inside story

The Outsole

Our outsole, which makes up the base of the footwear, addresses microplastic pollution head-on by phasing out plastics from the ground up. Petroleum-based resins and synthetic rubbers are replaced with renewable plant-based materials and oils, as we incorporate novel regenerative materials like agricultural waste to use.

By replacing crude-oil derived materials with renewable plant-based inputs, we’re able to more than halve the estimated carbon emissions typically associated with conventional outsoles. At the same time, the use of agricultural waste creates value for farmers and diverts waste from incineration.
Made with ~70% bio-based content, the UNCRUDE® outsole is entirely plastic-free.

Tested in-house the UNCRUDE® outsole performs at par with industry variants for flexibility, durability, without any of the damage to the planet and or the people that make them.
With material circularity planned from the material development stage, they are also recyclable.

The Midsole

The midsole is where comfort lives—but it’s also where hidden harm often begins.
Typically made from petroleum-based EVA, TPU and Pebax foams, they often contain toxic additives which can leach into the environment and pose risks to planetary health and ecosystems.
Their lightweight structure also makes them especially prone to microplastic shedding through everyday wear. And like most plastics, they present a major end-of-life challenge, often ending up in waste streams where they break down slowly over centuries and leach toxins.

The UNCRUDE® footbed is designed differently. Made with ~94% plant-based content, it blends carbon-sequestering regenerative materials like cork and renewable plant-based oils and materials without relying on plastics or hazardous chemistry. All raw materials are sourced from trusted, certified suppliers committed to protecting ecosystems and supporting responsible forest management.

With chemistry that cares as much for the planet as it does the makers and wearers they are tested to be 100% nitrosamine free. With up to 70% lower estimated carbon emissions than PU or EVA midsoles, the UNCRUDE® footbed has significantly lowered its impact. And like the outsole, it’s recyclable by design, helping close the loop where few materials ever have.

UNCRUDE® was built to do less harm. No plastics. No toxic shortcuts. Just bio-based, circular design—made to fit the systems we have, and challenge the ones we should.

It’s time we rewrite the story. It’s time we UNCRUDE®.

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