It’s probably not surprising that CarScoops doesn’t celebrate World Car Free Day, but that hasn’t stopped Volvo from marking the occasion with a special partnership.
In honor of the holiday, which falls on September 22nd, Volvo and Casca will launch an eco-friendly pair of sneakers inspired by the electric XC40 Recharge.
Besides featuring a Scandinavian-inspired design, 10% of the soles have been made from a recycled tire. This is a first for Casca and it reinforces the automotive theme of the shoes.
Driven: Volvo’s XC40 Recharge P8 Guns For Tesla’s Model Y
The soles aren’t the only eco-friendly touch as the uppers are constructed from seven recycled plastic bottles. They have been turned into yarn, which gives the shoes a “breathable, flexible knit.”
The shoes also incorporate a small Swedish flag as well as linework and paneling designed to recall Thor’s Hammer headlights. The latter touch isn’t immediately noticeable, but the shoes look good and make the standard Avros seem plain by comparison.
While the collaboration is a bit unusual, both companies are working to become more environmentally friendly. Casca aims to make all their knit uppers from recycled or renewable materials by 2022, while Volvo is going electric-only and will increase the use of recycled and bio-based materials in their vehicles. Both firms have also embraced ethical production measures that minimize energy use.
Volvo Cars USA President and CEO Anders Gustafsson said, “We’re excited to team up with Casca footwear who share similar values and combine our passions for sustainability, technology, and understated modern design.” He added, “We are committed to setting the highest standards of sustainability in mobility and that goes beyond electrifying our fleet to transforming all aspects of our business.”
As for the shoes, you can grab a pair next week for $168.