After Icebug achieved its goal of becoming climate positive in February of this year, the Swedish outdoor footwear brand is now offering what it calls the “world's most sustainable trail running shoes.” The “Outrun” will first be offered and sold exclusively via a Kickstarter campaign to reach the accurate end consumers directly and test the general interest in such a product. In a second step, the shoe will also be available at sports retailers. David Ekelund, chief executive of Icebug, told The Compass that the campaign does not serve the purpose of financing the development of the product. In fact, the Outrun has already been developed and thoroughly tested. The shoes are manufactured in a factory with solar modules to reduce their carbon footprint. For the remaining emissions, there's a 200 percent carbon offset, meaning they are climate positive. They feature 100 percent PFC-free, durable water-repellent treatment and 15 percent recycled rubber in the outsole. The upper is made of recycled polyester, and 20 percent of the midsole is made of Bloomfoam, a biomaterial made of algae harvested from overgrown lakes. Icebug wants to use the experiences from this campaign for the future development of additional sustainable products. Ekelund said that his company is taking sustainability to the next level with the Outrun and that Icebug wants to become an example of how the entire outdoor footwear industry needs to clean up.

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