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Who's talking about us and what are they saying?

The Drew Barrymore Show

Drew Barrymore brought Johnny Footwear onto her show to discuss the impact our biodegradable shoe will have on the environment. You'll never believe what Eric Andre does with them too!

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The shoe that turns into an apple tree: Toronto designer eliminating plastics, one step at a time

For him, shoes aren’t just made for walking, but for protecting the environment, too.

His big idea? Creating sustainable footwear — sneakers — that are fully biodegradable, from the beeswax-coated, water-resistant uppers right down to the soles...

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Toronto company is making shoes that turn into apple trees

A Toronto designer created a pair of shoes that eventually turn into an apple tree afer he spent seven years in the fashion industry and looked for more sustainable choices.

Toronto resident Luc Houle, 33, created Johnny: The Shoe That Grows Into A Tree and...

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Former Sudburian creates biodegradable shoe

Luc Houle, a Toronto-based designer who is originally from Greater Sudbury, started a Kickstarter campaign for biodegradable shoes in August and has raised more than $70,000.

He created ‘Jonny Footwear,‘ a company that makes biodegradable shoes that will eventually turn into apple trees once

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This Toronto shoe designer created a sneaker that turns into an apple tree

In under 18 months the outsole will be more than 53% biodegraded. That's when the apple seed will be released.

Houle is about halfway towards his goal of $70,000 on Kickstarter. The campaign...

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Fashion Designer Makes Shoes that Grow into Apple Trees, Instead of Growing Landfills

The legend of Johnny Appleseed: the man who walked about Ontario and the northern United States spreading apple pips, takes root in a new pair of kicks that biodegrade and grow an apple tree when they are discarded.

Tackling plastic pollution is the principle purpose behind the new shoe, but they also help the environment a little bit by aiding in reforestation...

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Des chaussures entièrement biodégradables, c'est possible?

Luc Houle, originaire de Hanmer, a mis sur les rails une campagne de sociofinancement afin de créer et commercialiser des chaussures entièrement biodégradables. Ces dernières permettent de planter un arbre lorsqu'elles se dégradent...

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Toronto designer makes plantable shoes that grow into trees

A Toronto designer has created a shoe that also protects the environment. The sneakers are fully biodegradable. CityNews Reporter Maleeha Sheikh speaks to the creator of 'Johnny' about how his shoes also turn into apple trees...

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'We Make Sneakers That Turn Into Apple Trees'

"I wanted to work towards changing that, and that's what led to the idea of the Johnny brand. There are some fully biodegradable shoes, and a lot of companies are starting to make a shift towards being green. But I found that the footwear companies creating shoes with a green spin weren't leaving a great impression on me. I wanted something fully biodegradable that you can still wear with any outfit..."

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Entrepreneur designs shoe that will biodegrade when buried

Through his experience in the industry, he learned manufacturers produce billions of shoes each year, and the vast majority are made of materials that won't decompose for more than 1,000 years.

"We produce an astronomical amount of shoes per year," Houle said. "And all of those are going to end up in a landfill one day."...

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Shoe designer from Hanmer develops sustainable, biodegradable sneaker

'I wanted to do something myself, something that would actually help the environment, instead of just harming it'

Luc Houle’s move into the shoe business not only changed his life, but gave him an opportunity to create change on a much grander scale...

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Maker of biodegradable shoes has ties with Kitchener

This type of technology for a shoe is possible, said Tiz Mekonnen, an assistant professor in the department of chemical engineering at the University of Waterloo. Mekonnen researches polymer engineering and specializes in sustainability — that is, recycling existing polymers, the use of bio-based polymers and researching compostable and biodegradable polymers...

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Making waves

We saw a problem with consumer plastics; the world uses a lot of them! 330 million tons of consumer plastics are thrown away each year and one of the big culprits are the shoes we wear. I created Johnny Footwear as a solution to this problem. Instead of the typical 1,000 years...

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Like Apples? Plant These Shoes to Grow Your Own Tree

But with competition to corner the green market increasing every day, how can an upstart footwear brand set itself apart? For Johnny, it set out to make a shoe that not only minimizes its impact, but also actively supports the planet.

Embedded within the midsole of every single Johnny sneaker is an apple seed. So when your shoes are spent, Johnny encourages you to bury the shoes and wait for its second life to sprout...

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The shoe that turns into an apple tree: Toronto designer eliminating plastics, one step at a time

Guest host Mark Carcasole chats with Luc Houle, Toronto-based designer & Creator of Johnny Footwear, about sustainable footwear.

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Toronto shoe designer plants an apple seed inside his sneakers

Johnny Footwear founder, Luc Houle wants you to plant his shoes instead of throwing them out. He explains to guest host Julianne Hazlewood how his biodegradable footwear will sprout an apple tree from each shoe...

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Meet The Sustainable Sneaker That Grows An Apple Tree

Sustainable sneakers have never been more stylish, but one Canadian designer wants to take it up a notch. Based in Toronto, Luc Houle has created a new shoe that is not only biodegradable, but can grow into an apple tree in its afterlife.Named after Johnny Appleseed who introduced apple trees to many parts of North America, Houle’s brand, Johnny...

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Someone invented sneakers that get planted and grow into trees when they’re worn out

Tired of funding the pollution of the world with every pair of shoes you buy? A Canadian designer has made a pair of biodegradable shoes you can bury after they wear out. The kicker? They have an apple seed inside of them and you can plant them in the ground after you’re done with them...

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Designer Creates Sustainable Shoes That Grow Into Apple Trees When Planted

In a world filled with disposable products, one Toronto designer is creating a more sustainable world, one shoe at a time. Most shoes contain a mix of plastics and synthetic materials, and once they’re discarded, they can take roughly 1,000 years to biodegrade. The materials found in shoes leave a heavy carbon footprint, spending entire centuries cluttering landfills...

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These Shoes Turn Into Apple Trees

Canadian designer Luc Houle has created a line of biodegradable shoes that grow into apple trees when buried into the ground. He calls the brand Johnny Footwear after the famous Johnny Appleseed who planted apple tress across North America in the 1800s.

The shoes are designed with biodegradable latex rubber that takes just 3 years to decompose. That’s a significant improvement from...

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Biodegradable sneaker contains zero plastic

Unlike traditional footwear which contains harmful plastic waste, Johnny Footwear has created the world’s first biodegradable sneaker that grows into a tree.

“Most people don’t realize the shoes they wear are harmful to the planet. They contain plastic that floods our oceans and landfills and sticks around for up to 1,000 years” says Luc Houle, founder of the environmentally conscious shoe...

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'The Johnny' is a Sustainable Shoe That Sprouts an Apple Tree When Planted

'Johnny Footwear' is a startup company focused on producing truly sustainable, 100% biodegradable footwear. 'The Johnny' is the company's first crowdfunded shoe which is entirely biodegradable, and it is officially being produced. The Johnny contains all-natural ingredients such as cotton, beeswax, and cork that break down in just three years underground, as opposed to shoes that contain plastics which can take thousands of years...

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Designer Creates Sustainable Shoes That Grow Into Apple Trees When Planted

Yes, you read that right. Johnnys aren’t designed to break down slightly more quickly than your average shoe. Once they’re buried, it’s game on. Enzymes found in nature help the shoes break down, pulling apart their components underground and inviting microorganisms inside for a feast.

“Eighteen months after this process has started, a pod containing an apple seed breaks free from the sole,” the website continues....

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Canadian creates sneakers that turn into an apple tree after being discarded

Houle is the founder of the Johnny brand, a biodegradable shoe company. The entrepreneur's idea is simple: to create sneakers with apple tree seeds that can be discarded into the environment. After the product decomposes, apple trees take their place...

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Designer creates sneakers that turn into an apple tree after being discarded

An old legend that travels the United States and Canada tells the story of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, a man who walked along the borders of the two countries, spreading apple tree seeds along the roads. That was the inspiration of Luc Houle, resident of Toronto, Canada, to start his business...

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An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and this Toronto designer is giving you a whole new way to stock up on them.

This is Luc Houle, he created an special sneaker line that's completely eco friendly. The shoes are made with 0 plastic but that's not the cool part...

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Johnny Footwear Creates Sneaker That Grows Into a Tree

A sneaker that grows into an apple tree? That’s what Johnny Footwear is bringing to market, now that it has raised more than $73,000 through a Kickstarter campaign that launched in October. The Toronto-based brand intends to introduce what it touts as the first shoe that rapidly biodegrades underground and grows into an apple tree. “Mo...

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Quelqu’un a inventé des baskets qui se plantent et se transforment en arbres lorsqu’elles sont usées

Le problème de la pollution plastique a continué de croître, mais ces nouvelles chaussures pourraient vous donner un autre moyen de riposter. Les chaussures portent le nom de Johnny Appleseed, le pépiniériste largement crédité de l’introduction des pommiers aux États...

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Isn't it nice? Sneakers that grow apple trees when worn and buried in the soil

Johnny is an ultra-lightweight sneaker with a beeswax coating that is waterproof and a cork insole that is deodorant and has a soft heel that is easy to wear.

At first glance, it's a normal sneaker, but Johnny doesn't use any plastic and will biodegrade when you don't wear it and bury it in the soil. Moreover, apple seeds...

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Biodegradable shoe grows into an apple tree

Like many items we use or wear every day, our shoes are often made with hosts of artificial chemicals and substances. With so many concerns vying for our attention, most of us don’t think too much about the sustainability of what we put on our feet...

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Johnny Footwear Has Created Shoes That Turn Into Trees When You’re Done Wearing Them

This smart-looking shoe has a beeswax coating that makes the shoe water-resistant. It has a cork insole that absorbs odor, wicks away moisture, and is also shock resistant. The more you wear the sneaker, the more the cork insole molds to your foot, giving you a custom fit. It’s designed with a cushy midsole, that is also feather-light. To add more comfort to the shoe...

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9 of the Best Sustainable Gifts for the Eco-Friendly

This one will not make it under the green tree in time for Christmas 2021, but the truly sustainably minded person shouldn’t mind the long haul, right? Johnny is a classic sneaker, perfect for everyday, casual wear. The difference? Once you’ve worn the shoe out or grown tired of the style, it is not only biodegradable...

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Johnny Footwear Has Created Shoes That Turn Into Trees When You’re Done Wearing Them

Eco-friendly and sustainable footwear have become big business. As more and more people are concerned about the planet, fashion has listened and created innovative products to fulfill this burgeoning need. Johnny Footwear has done more than create a sustainable sneaker, they’ve also made it into a planter. No, it doesn’t grow...

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This Shoe Grows Into a Tree! The secret’s in the sole.

oday, more consumers care about the entire lifecycle of the products they buy. They want to know what they are made of, and what will happen to them when they wear out. Among them is a young entrepreneur with a heart, Luc Houle. This Canadian millennial has just developed Johnny, an innovative sneaker that plans to change the world. Environmentally-friendly from the get-go, it is fully biodegradable and...

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Johnny Footwear Has Created Shoes That Turn Into Trees When You’re Done Wearing Them

As mentioned earlier the shoe is unisex. Johnny Footwear’s debut style is the classic low top that has a tonal sidewall. Want a pair for yourself or give them as a gift, here are the deets: men’s sizes run from 7–13, and women’s sizes 6–12. They come in two colors: white or black, and both come with red laces and “Johnny” written in red...

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Johnny campaign promotes shoes that biodegrade in three years and grow into a tree

"Most people don't realize the shoes they wear are harmful to the planet. They contain plastic that floods our oceans and landfills and sticks around for up to 1,000 years," says Luc Houle, founder of the brand. "Our compound feels like traditional athletic shoes, but they biodegrade in three years rather than the typical 1,000."...

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These Biodegradable Sneakers Grow Into Apple Trees When You Plant Them

Even shoes that are built to last have an expiration date. If you use your favorite pair of sneakers every day, normal wear and tear will eventually lead to holes that are too big to ignore. At that point, once-useful footwear becomes waste that sits in a landfill for centuries. One company has responded to this issue by selling shoes that are made to degrade and give life to new plants...

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When You’ve Worn These Sneakers Out, They Can Grow Into Trees

Have you ever heard someone say they’ve run something into the ground — using it until it’s totally spent? A sneaker designer took that saying literally. A company has developed a shoe that can be planted and then grow a tree after it’s no longer useful as footwear...

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Scientists explain why you should always leave your shoes outside

We’ve all probably visited a friend or family’s home and been asked to kick out shoes off at the door. While some people do this simply to avoid tracking in mud or dirt, or even for cultural reasons, scientists recommend...

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