Stella McCartney and sustainability are synonymous; from the day dot of the designer’s practice, an attention to both eco-innovation and the larger picture of the lifecycle of a product have been engrained into her process and philosophy – and, with her continued commitment to exploring and pushing new ways of working ethically, Fall/Winter 2018 heralds her most sustainable sneakers yet.

Following 18 months of experimentation, Stella presents a new industry standard with the Loop Sneaker, which relies on special stitching and technically-designed hooks to hold everything in place, using only the teeny tiniest amount of sustainable glue as help along the way. To put that into context, the wider fashion industry is often guilty of relying on toxic and harmful solvents to piece together our kicks – and, although the brand has always utilised animal-friendly, water-based glue in wider footwear collections (as a lifetime vegetarian, real leather, fur and the like have never entered into the equation for Stella), the Loop Sneaker marks a monumental leap towards new sustainable heights.

Marking the occasion, and celebrating the launch of the Loop pack (arriving in low, ankle, and knee-high iterations in white, black and red, and all of which are recyclable after being worn and loved to death), ‘The Loop Lab’ exhibition has popped up in Stella McCartney’s new London flagship store, alongside a ‘making of’ film and insight into what goes on behind-the-scenes of the shoe innovation that we should all care about now.

Race you there! 

The exhibition runs at 23 Old Bond Street, Mayfair, W1S 4PZ until 6 October. Plus, get in the loop! Shop the sustainable sneaker revolution, here: