Dear Nooch supporters!
In our last email, we told you that there had been an unexpected issue with the sole during the production process, which has caused a delay in delivery. Our inbox was absolutely bursting with lovely, supportive messages! That was a massive boost for us – thank you! You also asked how we’re getting on.
So, how are we actually doing?
We’re disappointed and proud at the same time. Disappointed, because our greatest wish was for you to be shining in your Noochies before the summer holidays. That didn’t work out.
But we’re also proud. Because this bump in the road makes it all the more clear that the Nooch sneaker isn’t just any ‘sustainable sneaker’. The fact that it’s the world’s first biodegradable and zero-waste sneaker means that everyone is literally helping to pioneer and discover something new.
By going through this together – including the ups and downs – we’re paving the way for other players in the market, which could have a huge impact on the footwear industry.
In this email, we’ll explain what’s going on and give you an indication of when you can expect your Noochies.
Once Upon a Time… a time without plastic
In the past, shoe soles were made from biodegradable, natural rubber. Production was labour-intensive and time-consuming, but the result was a high-quality product.
Nowadays, virtually all shoe soles (including the ‘sustainable’ varieties) consist of synthetic rubber (made from crude oil and petroleum), plastic (whether recycled or not) and various chemical additives.
Forty-eight billion of these soles, full of toxins and rubbish, are produced every year (!). The earth cannot cope with them (they last between 300 and 1,000 years), they are not recyclable (due to the combination of different materials) and they are incinerated on a massive scale after use. They are devastating for the earth and its inhabitants.
And then along came PLIANT...
The Nooch sneaker has a PLIANT sole. It is made from natural rubber, free from plastics, synthetic chemicals AND can be processed in any sole factory (unlike the natural rubber we’re already familiar with; only a handful of factories worldwide still have the expertise and machinery for this). PLIANT therefore combines all the benefits of natural rubber with the scalability needed to transform the industry. This is the real game-changer.
So far, so good. Our factory in Portugal is ready to go!
BUT… there are still certain steps in the production process that need to be done slightly differently from a standard sole.
For example, our PLIANT soles first need to be heated to ensure that the shoe’s ‘upper’ and the sole bond properly. (This isn’t normally necessary because aggressive adhesives are used that stick anyway.) And when the soles come out of the machine, they can’t be processed straight away, but need to be left to rest for a while.
Of course, extensive testing and planning had been carried out beforehand, but introducing new elements into an existing system is tricky when you move on to the real-world application. Once we actually started production, we realised there were still some bottlenecks.
And now we’re doing everything we can to resolve them.
What’s next?
We’re based in the Netherlands, but it’s good to know that we also have a shoe developer in Portugal, Bernardo. He acts as the link between the supplier and the factory. At the moment, we’re repeating all the quality tests and incorporating various checks.
In addition, the PLIANT team have booked a trip to Portugal. They will be at the factory in the second week of June to help out. Bernardo will walk them through the entire process in detail to identify and address any potential issues before production resumes.
But when will my Noochies arrive?
We hope to start production as soon as possible, but we’re expecting it to be early September. The factory in Portugal is closed for the whole of August, and they’ll already be winding down operations from July onwards.
Nooch production is top of the list as soon as the factory reopens. If we can do it sooner, we certainly will.
We don’t want to make any firm promises just yet. However, we do promise to do everything we can to deliver a fantastic end product to you.
Your support is making it possible to bring about this sustainable revolution in the footwear industry!
Last but not least
Ask us ANYTHING! Don’t hold back – ask as many questions as you like. We’ll do our best to answer everything as thoroughly and transparently as possible. As soon as we have any news, we’ll get writing and let you know! And if you’d rather give us a call, here’s Stefan’s number: 06 463 409 98.
Love,
Lotte and Stefan