Upcycled Tyre Sole Driving Loafers

The TS1 Model

The British Driving Loafer

Up cycled waste tyre material is combined with Italian leather and British design to create the first line of environmentally conscious luxury footwear. Only a fraction of the energy used to produce new sole units is required to convert the waste tyres into usable shoe parts. These environmentally responsible components are not a compromise though, in fact they're an improvement for the driving loafer style. Adding incredible durability and excellent grip whilst retaining an elegant and classic style has created the next generation of the original hybrid shoe.

Hugs & Co. are proud to introduce the TS1 model ‘the British Driving Loafer’. Bringing a level of functionality to driving loafers that upgrades them, giving the wearer a more widely usable luxury piece of footwear.

The repurposed material used in the production of the TS1 driving loafers would otherwise be burned or buried causing significant environmental damage. Hugs & Co. seek to reduce this damage by finding a new use for the waste material.

Benjie Davis says ‘The words upcycled and repurposed previously haven't been associated with luxury fashion items, here at Hugs & Co. we're taking steps to change that with the TS1 driving loafer.’

Hugo Davis commented ‘All to often the decision to select environmentally conscious components leads to a compromise in quality, here it actually enhances the product.’

Millions of scrap tyres pile up every year, they have been designed and engineered not to degrade and that means longterm damage to the environment. Waste tyres are often burned giving off huge quantities of toxic fumes. Alternatives for disposal are burying underground or highly costly and energy consuming methods to break them down. The TS1 is a product that can help to begin reducing this huge quantity of detrimental waste.

Hugs & Co. have a reputation for producing impeccably made footwear with the selection process for materials being rigorous. The TS1 model has been subject to the same meticulous measures; only the very softest of Italian suede has been selected for cutting the pieces of the upper. The whole of the shoe is lined in another soft natural leather for comfort and retention of shape over time. Hand stitching and the perfectly shaped last ensures each pair conforms to the ideal driving loafer silhouette. 

The whole process involves modern production techniques interspersed with artisanal expertise and is the first time environmental consciousness has been successfully introduced to the luxury footwear market.

The Driving Loafer is the perfect shoe for Hugs & Co. to begin this journey with. Not only is it one of the signature products in the Hugs & Co. collection but it is the original hybrid shoe. Traditionally footwear was made with stiff leather soles and robust uppers that required weeks of wearing to break in. The driving loafer closed the gap between formal and comfortable with the flexible studied sole, soft suede and moccasin construction. The TS1 is the next generation of the familiar style, upgrading the usability of the driving loafer and introducing an element of environmental responsibility that is essential in the modern world.

Tyre sole driving loafers, brown, slate grey, navy blue and black suede, £150