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Footwear brands have tried but none have actually delivered a completely zero-emissions shoe — that is, until now. Bringing to fruition a project that began in 2022, Allbirds has finally created the world’s first net-zero carbon shoe. After dozens of iterations, the company unveiled its first prototype of the M0.0NSHOT Zero in 2023 and now officially brings in to market with a limited-edition run of just 500 pairs.
Compared to the average sneaker, which has a net carbon emissions level of around 14kg CO₂e, the M0.0NSHOT Zero has achieved a landmark net 0.0kg CO₂e. Combining Allbirds’ minimalist design principles with eco-conscious construction methods, the shoe uses carbon-negative merino wool sourced from a regenerative farm in New Zealand that boasts practices that focus on native plantings, new pasture species, and protecting large areas of its regenerating forest, all to take in more carbon than it emits. Thanks to Allbirds’ knack for design, the wool uppers are highly sleek to give the M0.0NSHOT Zero a stripped-down aesthetic.
If you know anything about Allbirds, you’ll surely be aware of its super-innovative sugarcane-based SweetFoam EVA midsoles developed back in 2018 and boasting 70% bio-based content. These have made a return for the M0.0NSHOT Zero, with the addition of carbon-negative bioplastic eyelets made from microorganisms that convert methane into moldable polymer. If the net-zero shoes weren’t enough, Allbirds has also put them in carbon-efficient packaging, made from sugarcane-derived Green PE. Likewise, transportation of the shoes involves biofuel-powered ocean shipping and electric trucking from port to warehouse.
While Allbirds is the first to make these net-zero carbon shoes, the company invites others to do the same, publishing its free RECIPE B0.0K, an open-sourced toolkit. Limited to just 500 pairs upon this initial run, the M0.0NSHOT Zero is available exclusively in select stores in New York, London, Dubai, Tokyo, and Seoul on February 6. Each pair is labeled with its respective edition number (out of 500) and will be priced at $200.
