There are all sorts of ways to fund a start-up or to raise financing to develop new products and now a disruptor company called 8000Kicks has found a unique way to bring its latest shoe to market. After months and countless prototypes, a Kickstarter campaign has allowed 8000Kicks to bring another hemp product to life.
As the company explains to Running Insight+, “We are a team of entrepreneurs trying to disrupt this very dirty industry with 100 percent vegan, ecological solutions, made with cool materials and that everyone can afford. We also love cannabis and we think it is one of those super materials that can change the world.”
The result is the Trekker, billed as “the only shoe you will need for traveling the world.” After launching hemp shoes in 2019 and hemp backpacks in 2022, 8000Kicks new hemp Trekkers have arrived.
The Trekker is not just a shoe, “it is another layer of innovation on top of great hemp products.” The latest innovative feature allows wearers to step in and out of the shoes easily thanks to the reinforced heel system.
Why Hemp?
- Industrial hemp is a subspecies of cannabis and contains less than one percent THC.
- A “normal” tree takes 20 years to reach maturity. Hemp takes only four months.
- Hemp cultivation does not require pesticides or chemical herbicides.
- Any product made from cotton, wood or petroleum can be replaced with hemp.
- Hemp cultivation requires up to five times less water than cotton.
- A single hemp crop can produce 4-8 tons of dry fiber, or about four times more than a regular crop.
Hemp is known because of its antimicrobial and anti-bacterial properties and it is a naturally insulating fiber that keeps feet warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It is also the world's most sustainable natural fiber and by using hemp 8000Kicks has a next-to-neutral carbon footprint and plans to continue that work to make its shoes completely carbon-neutral.
Again, as explained by the company: “We made these for the active person, the challenger, the go-to places, and that means you have to be prepared for every weather. Our hemp Trekkers have been made in a way to repel water from coming in.”
The shoes does this through an added proprietary coating layer that protects the fabric and its properties from stains, liquids and dust particles. This makes the fabric easy to clean as well. A waterproof membrane that keeps feet dry has also been added.
Among the other product highlights:
• The tongue is stitched to the main shoe body to allow waterproofing on a higher level.
• The outsoles are made with recycled rubber, which provides an edge in durability and grip on any terrain while being sustainable.
• The hemp trekkers come with a very minimalist silhouette, making a fit indoors when to help look sharp and outdoors when a casual look is needed.
• The trekkers are 100 percent vegan and almost completely biodegradable.
• Unfortunately, the hemp shoes are not smokeable. They have a lot of features, but that is not one of the. The company says it is sure anyone can find cheaper stuff to smoke somewhere else.
This is not the company’s first rodeo. For the last six years it has been launching Kickstarter campaigns to help deliver hemp products to its customers and making hemp as great again as it once was.
To access the Kickstarter campaign:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dopekicks/waterproof-hemp-sneakers-for-travelling-8000kicks
