Dear Noochling,
We’re happy to share that based on where we are right now, we expect to deliver in Spring 2026
As you may remember, we’ve taken a major hit recently with our main outsole supplier going bankrupt. This really was a do or die
moment for us.
You all chose to stay with us. That really means a lot 💚
So we want to share what we’ve been doing since, and how we’re moving forward.
Where we are now.
Right now, we’re exploring dandelion-based rubber.
In terms of earth-friendly innovation, this is the option that genuinely excites us. If it performs as expected, it is even more planet friendly than the Pliant material we used before.
To understand how we got here, let us give you some “behind the scenes” on our decision making.
Step one: could we still use Pliant?
Before starting anything new, we tried the most obvious option.
Through our informal network, we heard that some Pliant material might still exist in Vietnam. It could have been a short-term fix for this batch. Because of the legal situation around the bankruptcy, we were not allowed to buy or use it. That route was closed.
So we moved on.
Step two: setting the rules
Instead of rushing a replacement, we stepped back and asked one question: What is the right way forward for Mother Earth and for you?
That led us to restate something very clearly: Planet Safe comes first. Non-negotiable.
Every option must be:
- non-toxic: free from nasty chemicals/li>
- not release microplastics while you walk/li>
- not create toxic waste during production/li>
- low in CO₂
- safe for the people making the shoes and the people wearing them
If a material doesn’t tick all of these boxes, it’s out.
Step three: the options we explored
With those rules in place, two real directions remained.
1. Next-generation plastics
These are materials engineered to behave like rubber or plastic. Some plant-based versions come close, and performance is consistent. But to work as a shoe sole, they still require heavy processing and rely on oil-based additives. For now, that doesn’t meet our standards. We may revisit this in the future, but not yet.
2. Natural materials (our preferred direction)
Natural materials already have what we need for a good sole: flexibility, resilience, and comfort, with far less processing. In practice, that means natural rubber. Rubber usually comes from rubber trees. That’s what we used before. But rubber isn’t unique to one plant. There are other plants that contain rubber as well. Mother Earth keeps amazing us.
The challenge is almost never the plant. It’s what gets added or how it’s processed. Once we apply our Planet Safe criteria, many options fall away quickly.
And that’s how we arrived at dandelions
Dandelions turned out to be one of the few remaining options that could meet our criteria. We’re now testing whether this rubber can deliver the performance we need, without crossing any of our lines.
You’ll hear from us again in January.
Thank you once more for your continued support and your shared commitment to our mission. We appreciate you so much!
In the meantime, enjoy a merry, joyous holiday season and have a happy, healthy start to 2026.
With love,
Lotte and Stefan
👉 nooch.earth
P.S. Curious about the raw "behind-the-scenes" story of the whole Nooch adventure? Stefan recently shared our full journey on a podcast. You can watch it here.