Paris-based footwear startup MoEa unveiled its Kickstarter campaign just under a week ago, and it has already surpassed its funding target by over 400%.
The brand’s inaugural silhouette has a classic ‘90s construction, complete with tonal paneling, minimal branding, and an ever-so-slightly chunky sole. The sneakers are available in an inclusive size run, in 11 different colorways, and importantly, are made with sustainability at the forefront.

MoEA uses bio-materials made from fruit and plant waste alongside materials like organic cotton, recycled plastic, and bio-PU in the construction of its shoes. The brand even makes it easy for consumers to understand the material their kicks are crafted from by cleverly coordinating the plant to the colorway.
The black and white iterations are made from grape waste sourced from Italy’s thriving wine industry. The red option similarly utilizes apple waste from the Italian juice industry, alongside a blend of organic cotton and recycled PU. Beige is made from non-edible American corn, green from Mexican cacti, and yellow from wasted pineapple leaves in the Philippines. If you can’t choose one favorite color—or plant—the multicolor pair comprises all of the above.

In addition to being made from sustainable materials, MoEa’s sneakers are totally vegan (they’re PETA-approved), and recyclable. The brand encourages customers to wear their sneakers as long as possible but when their lifecycle inevitably comes to an end, MoEa is asking wearers to send them back, free of charge, so that they can be recycled into soles for the next batch of MoEa sneakers. By doing this, MoEa saves up to 40% of rubber in each new pair of soles—and customers are thanked with 10% off their next pair.
MoEa’s commitment to eco-friendly and ethical practices extends beyond just face value. The brand notes that it is committed to only using 100% traceable materials and has vowed to share its Life Cycle Assessment.

Its products are handcrafted in Porto, Portugal by expert shoemakers in a workshop that adheres to European labor standards, ensuring all workers are fairly paid and working under safe conditions. By working closely with its Portuguese factory, which uses 100% renewable energies, MoEa is able to reduce the transportation distance of its products and ensure that the production process is totally chromium-free.
With all this considered, it’s unsurprising that MoEa has already massively surpassed its funding target—with a month still to go. Find out more about the brand, its debut sneaker offering, and how to pre-order a pair for yourself at kickstarter.com.