At PURIFIED, footwear is about responsibility. Founded by Will Verona, the brand emerged from a powerful moment of judgment: a trip to Sri Lanka that ended with the haunting sight of a collapsing landfill of waste. That so-called "trash mountain" became a lasting symbol of everything wrong with the modern industry.
PURIFIED was born from that moment, with a mission to reinvent the ways shoes are designed and manufactured.
In a world where sneakers are laced with plastics, toxic glues, synthetic rubber, and uncompostable materials, PURIFIED offers an impactful alternative: shoes built to walk lightly on the earth, and return to it.
Image source: @purifiedfootwear
Regeneration at the source
PURIFIED's philosophy is rooted in ancient knowledge, natural intelligence, and a future-facing design mindset. Every material used, method applied, and decision made is grounded in a single, regenerative philosophy: "From the Earth for the Earth".
This message runs so deep within the brand that it has been brought to life in the form of a shoe, the "Return to the Earth". This pair represents a commitment to design that actively works with nature's rhythm and reduces harm. They are fully circular shoes that you can bury in the soil, that feed the ground, and that can walk forward without leaving damage behind.
The uppers and soles are stitched together using a binding method that’s both durable and easy to undo. Meaning that they are not just biodegradable, but designed for disassembly.
Additionally, through their partnership with NFW’s Endwell Programme, PURIFIED ensures that production scraps are recycled and that worn shoes will be returned, reimagined, or composted through the brand's closed-loop system.
Image source: Purified Footwear
Biomaterials that Breathe, Bend, and Break down
The materials used by London-based brand PURIFIED are a fusion of ancient agricultural practices and innovative technology, resulting from four years spent travelling from Philippine rainforests to American biotech labs.
Bananatex: Made from the stalks of the Abaca Banana plant, this material is grown without irrigation or pesticides. It is hand-harvested and woven into a strong, breathable canvas that is fully compostable.
MIRUM: A leather alternative made from natural latex and regenerative crops. It contains zero plastic, zero animal content and leaves behind nothing but nutrients when it breaks down.
PLIANT: A plant-based sole made from FSC-certified Havea latex that is hand-harvested and offers bounce, grip, and total biodegradability.
Design inspired by Ecosystems
Every part of a PURIFIED shoe draws from nature’s intelligence. The wave-inspired grooves in the footbed mimic ocean motion, the coral-textured outsole grips the earth like reef to seabed.
Instead of replicating synthetic performance, PURIFIED lets biology lead.
Image source: Purified footwear
Walk with intention
Every step in PURIFIED shoes is a statement that we can design without damage, and walk forward without leaving waste behind. This is a message that's resonating beyond conscious consumers, with even Prince William choosing to walk the green carpet at the Earthshot Prize in PURIFIED shoes, representing a kind of royal approval of the brand’s regenerative mission.
Image source: Purified Footwear
What makes PURIFIED shoes different from other footwear?
PURIFIED shoes are built using natural, compostable materials and are manufactured without using toxic glues, which makes them biodegradable, easy to disassemble and part of a circular lifecycle.
Does Purified make sustainable footwear?
Yes, PURIFIED is a footwear brand designing compostable, plastic-free shoes inspired by nature. PURIFIED creates biodegradable sneakers that are designed to walk lightly on the earth and return to it.
What does "Return to Earth" mean?
"Return to Earth" is both a guiding philosophy and a shoe by PURIFIED footwear which means creating products that can safely decompose and nourish the soil at the end of their life, rather than polluting the planet by turning into waste.
