California Apparel News

Nikki Reed recently partnered with eco-luxury sneaker brand Loci to create a capsule of classic styles using recycled ocean plastics. The multi-faceted Reed, who is an actor, screenwriter, film producer, fashion-and-jewelry designer, environmental activist and mother recently partnered with the London-headquartered brand that manufactures its premium sneakers ethically in Portugal, using more-sustainable materials.

“The Loci team approached me about coming on board in some creative aspect, maybe two months ago or so. We definitely felt very aligned with our goals and what we wanted to accomplish with this line of production,” Reed explained. “They talk about creating a product that is as luxurious as it is sustainable and shattering the misconception that sustainable has to feel used or less than our newer goods. [Changing] that perception is my whole goal with my company BaYou. Really showing people that there is quality in sustainable and we’re not sacrificing one for the other.”

A self-described “sneaker lover,” Reed has long advocated for reusing materials to create new, eco-friendlier products with her jewelry and accessories brand BaYou with Love serving as a testament to her commitment. The company sources its precious metals through recycling methods and choose its stones from partners that rely on ethical and ecologically sound practices. For Reed, partnering with Loci on a sustainable, vegan sneaker design seemed to be a natural step, as the company relies on premium materials made from recycled ocean plastics sourced from the Mediterranean, in addition to employing a cork insole, natural-rubber sole and recycled-brass eyelets with eco-friendlier shoelaces. Engaging in this type of process affords greater opportunities for a carbon-negative model in fashion.

“There was a conscious approach to how this shoe was produced. By using materials that are recycled, we are talking about that carbon-negative effect because that is the entire body of the shoe. By using other materials like cork, cotton and natural rubber, we’re taking materials that come from the earth already, without exploiting the earth,” Reed said. “The best use of this shoe would be for somebody to take this shoe, wear it for a decade or two or beyond, and then these shoes find their next life by being resold somewhere down the line or passed down.”

Launched on May 6, the Reed X Loci collection is available at lociwear.com. Men's sizes are offered in 7-13 and women's pieces are sized 5-13. The sneakers are available in white, sage, beige and gum hues, with retail pricing at $160. While Reed recognizes that there will always be a need for people to consume, she has noticed a shift toward responsible consumption. Focusing on this positive change in consumer habits, Reed shares a message that she hopes other apparel-industry designers and brands hear.

“We can achieve beauty and consciousness at the same time,” Reed explained. “We can purchase things that have a story that we connect with. We can connect with the hands that make our products, the places that create our products and the process in which they are made. We can love our products for longer and stop this machine model of pumping out trends every six to eight weeks by designing around trends on a yearly calendar instead of a seasonal calendar. We’re approaching a time where we have to change the way we consume in order to change the way that products are purchased.”