Mr. Bailey is no stranger to odd shapes that take form in his other-worldly designs. In his continued partnership with adidas Originals, his latest installment, “OZLUCENT,” brings awareness to deep sea inspirations. Coming in an all black colorway, the shoes accentuate the lifecycle of sea creatures, taking into account oceanic patterns and structures. The collection’s primary message is to “understand aquatic life forms and how natural engineering systems can influence the latest footwear technology,” mentioned Mr. Bailey in a press statement.

While the “OZLUCENT” may be vegan, it doesn’t necessarily incorporate any earth friendly materials. Moreover, it’s the innovation and encasing behind the box that has us excited. The sneaker is presented in a mycelium box that is fully biodegradable. Coming from the innovative minds of Black Ink Projects and England-based Magical Mushroom Company – the unconventional packaging is overseen from growth to distribution.

The specific mushroom material is not only water resistant, but allows for small pieces to decompose more quickly than a synthetic alternative like polystyrene. The mushroom composed packaging decomposes by the end of its life cycle – approximately 45 days. Even more novel is the remaining material can be mixed into food waste or converted into natural biofuels.

The thinkers and tinkerers behind Black Ink Projects spoke to Packaging Unboxed about the process behind creating this packaging, and you can watch it in its entirety here.

Additionally, Black Ink worked with sustainable packaging company Grounded to create the clear, sugar-cane based bag that wraps the pair of sneakers inside the mycelium box. As Benjamin Grant from the drop’s partner packaging company, Grounded Packaging, mentioned in a statement on LinkedIn, ​​“It’s great to see some of the large brands starting to experiment with how and where they can apply interesting new materials across their wider packaging needs and new product launches.” Grounded Packaging itself brings these innovative materials to the forefront of the market – providing eco-conscious parcels to companies around the world. They even have a calculator to demonstrate their best in class packaging impact and statistics which you can check out here.

Mr. Bailey and adidas Originals “OZLUCENT” Sneaker will be available exclusively on the adidas CONFIRMED app. Further details regarding the aquatic-inspired release on Mr. Bailey’s website are still to come.