Under Armour Earth Day concept boot

Under Armour has been unleashing some incredibly hot releases over this season, but their most interesting may never actually hit the shelves. In honor of Earth Day, UA released details on a concept boot that features over 70% sustainable materials. The concept cleat comes straight from their innovation lab that is always looking to push the boundaries of what we think is possible.

The boot has been under a testing period by Real Salt Lake defender and UA sponsored athlete, Chris Wingert, over the past few weeks. It is apparent that Wingert fell in love with the cleats as he had high praise for the concept boot. He told Under Armour: “The boots are great – super comfortable and I think they look really sharp. All of the guys (on the team) were making comments!”

UA also released some technical aspects of the cleat with some pretty incredible facts that come with creating such an eco-friendly boot. UA released the following info:

  • The extremely soft upper features full grain leather made via a vegetable tanning process that has been used in one form or another over the past 200 years
  • Materials were not added to create the logo, rather laser etching was used on the leather to create a futuristic look and feel
  • The outsole uses a bio-based injection that is 99% renewable
  • Sockliner is bio-based foam
  • Laces are made from recyclable yarns
  • Heel counter and forefoot board are made from a bamboo composite

It is clear that with the blend of old materials and new technology has allowed UA to create a boot that can not only be a quality leather cleat on field, but one that can be reused after its playing days are long gone. The design of the shoe is very minimalistic so that the boot can have a sleek design, much like the SpeedForm CRM Leather releases that came in black and white.

The cleat features a standard down-the-middle lacing system that fits like a normal soccer shoe. The leather upper appears extremely soft and supple to the touch. The UA branding can be found in the heel area instead of in the middle of the shoe. The soleplate features only thin, conical studs that are perfect for maneuvering around and twisting quickly. If I had to guess, this cleat would be released for defenders and midfielders looking for that Tiempo-style touch but with that UA twist.

It is unclear whether the boot will ever release, but the concept behind the Under Armour Earth Day boot is one that many companies will undoubtedly follow. The idea to use reusable materials on a cleat can not only save money, but also save materials that can in turn help keep the Earth a bit cleaner.

 

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