Evelina Lavergren

Footwear is essential in daily life, but its environmental impact, particularly in terms of microplastic pollution and recycling challenges, is often overlooked. The global reliance on synthetic materials like plastic and rubber contributes significantly to marine pollution which harms sea life and enters the human food chain, posing health risks.

Biological Footprint explores the potential of Gotlandic seaweed as a sustainable biomaterial for footwear. By using seaweed which helps absorb excess nutrients in the overfertilised Baltic Sea, this degree project contributes to the improvement of water quality and ecological restoration. The design focuses on how friction created by walking can disperse seeds and nutrients into the soil, promoting regional biodiversity.

Targeting postal delivery workers, who frequently move through urban and rural areas, the shoes will help spread native seeds and provide nutrients, supporting local conservation efforts and enhancing the region’s biodiversity, while contributing to the restoration of the Baltic Sea.

The agar-agar that has been used in the project’s material experimentation has been sponsored by KoRo.