Sustainable, luxurious, innovative. Meet Sylven New York, the newest designer to join The Nowhere Nation, who produces 100% vegan footwear that transcends the traditional perception of 'sustainable' fashion.
Sylven New York is an artisan women’s footwear brand that was launched in 2017. Founder Casey Dworkin has been dedicated to sustainable practices from a young age and this vegan shoe brand is steadfast in its approach. From nature-derived, renewable, recyclable materials, and stringent supplier guidelines and practices, Sylven New York has sustainability at its core. Handmade in Italy, these shoes demonstrate how luxury craftsmanship and sustainability can meld together seamlessly to create pieces that will live in your wardrobe for years to come.
MEET THE FOUNDER -
Born on Earth Day, sustainability is a connection Casey Dworkin has carried since birth. Her dedication to sustainable practices begun at a young age with a love of nature. This combined with her strong sense for creativity, and fifteen years experience in the fashion and retail industry was the perfect foundation for Sylven New York. With an equal approach to values and aesthetics, Casey creates footwear that remains true to her passion for sustainability, whilst innovating design in the aesthetic realm.
EXPLORE THE MATERIALS -
Sylven New York shoes are 100% vegan, and use a range of plant-based materials and recycled components. Each of their shoes averages between 60 and 100 individual pieces - and that's for a single shoe, not even per pair! So when we talk about sustainable materials and components, we are looking to reinvent our shoes from the inside out.
Apple leather is a sustainable leather alternative, made from organic apple waste that comes from Tyrol, a town located at the base of the Italian Alps. Tyrol is a town that is the largest supplier of organic apples throughout Europe, which subsequently leads to a significant amount of apple waste.
This organic apple waste is then repurposed and crafted into the leather alternative. This process involves taking the cores and skins of the apples and transforming them into a pulp, which is then bound to fabric to give structure. Then you are left with a product that structurally resembles traditional animal leather and holds many of the same properties, such as its malleability and durability, whilst staying 100% vegan and animal-free.
Bio-based, vegan linings are used to achieve the same level of comfort as traditional animal leather. Sylven New York utilises these bio-based vegan linings that are made from wheat and barley by-product. This material is soft on the skin, breathable and efficient at absorbing moisture. This groundbreaking material being made from natural, renewable resources, remains on par with the comfort of animal leather as an effective leather alternative.
Recycled plastic soles are created in Sylven New York's Italian sole factory. Traditionally rubber soles are cut from large sheets of rubber which creates large amounts of "off-cut" waste in irregular shapes.This waste is then melted down and reused to create the regenerated rubber soles you see on Sylven New York shoes. The use of closed loop recycled plastic to form the structural element of the heels shows how sustainability is at the core of every aspect for the brand.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS -
Sylven New York has been featured in Women's Wear Daily, VOGUE, Nylon, and The Wall Street Journal to name a few. In 2020, Sylven New York also received a Global Excellence Award for Best Artisan Women's Footwear Brand.
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