Introducing Hari Mari Eco

This week we debuted HM Eco, our new line of Eco-friendly and 100% vegan flip-flops. We kicked off the debut by releasing the first flip flop in the new line, the Sonoros.The release of the Sonoros is a great example of what Hari Mari is doing to reduce its environmental impact, a turn we hope many more brands will follow.

These days, companies often launch big campaigns about “going green” and it’s great, we love that. But what does going green actually look like? We thought we’d take this opportunity to tell you more about what it means for Hari Mari to go green, and how we managed to create our most sustainable flip-flop that is completely Eco-friendly.  

First on the list: find a fabric that relatively matches the leather feeling we’re known and loved for. That’s where cactus leather came into the picture. The innovative cactus leather is the world's first highly sustainable and environmentally friendly organic material made of Nopal cactus, also known as the prickly pear. Cactus is a natural carbon sink and has a great CO2 sequestering capacity. The leather only utilizes the mature leaves of the plant without damaging the plant itself, enabling repeat harvest every 6-8 months from the same plants. Often distinguished by it’s great softness, performance, and sustainability, we knew we found a winner. 

Finally, we wanted the entire flip-flop to be Eco-friendly, not just pieces of it. For the bottom sole, we’re using recycled rubber that comes from old shoe and sneaker soles - this is actually visible on the shoe itself, which means that no two soles are the same (pretty cool)! And the padding that makes the flop itself? That’s recycled & repurposed EVA. EVA is a foam derived from petrol-chemicals, so repurposing means we are not depleting more natural resources BUT you’re still getting the comfort you desire and expect from your Hari Mari flip-flop.

The Sonoros proves that comfort and performance do not have to be sacrificed in order to be Eco-friendly. And now that we know that, this line is just the beginning of something much more meaningful for Hari Mari.