There’s no doubt that Japan is a beautiful country. But it’s also no secret that this East Asian country is at its most beautiful during spring season. When cherry blossom (sakura) starts to bloom, the land magically transforms into a pink paradise. From spring through summer, people from around the world flock to Japan to witness its ethereal beauty. And when autumn arrives, the delicate pink sakura flowers start to fall petal by petal. Of course, Japanese people would never want these lovely petals go to waste. For this reason, Converse Japan worked in partnership with Japanese textile maker Toyoshima to bring us the Converse Sakura Sneakers.
Most products with the name ‘sakura’ in it typically use the phrase to denote the delicate pink color. But Converse Sakura Sneakers aren’t just pink, they’re actually made with actual sakura petals. And don’t worry, no cherry blossom trees were harmed in the production of these high-top sneakers. Toyoshima uses fallen sakura petals to create pink-colored dye which is then used to give textiles their color. This is also the same dye being used in the making of the Converse Sakura Sneakers.
Converse Sakura Sneakers feature a canvas dyed using real cherry blossom petals
More importantly, these fashionable shoes are created for a cause. As a matter of fact, buying a pair of Converse Sakura Sneakers allows you to help plant more sakura trees in Japan. A portion of the sales will be donated to projects aiming to plant sakura trees in the northeastern Tohoku region which was hit by a catastrophic tsunami in 2011.
In addition to the Sakura Sneakers, the line also includes other shoes dyed with food materials. It includes the Blue Mallow featuring a canvas dyed using herbal tea of the same name. And the Drip Coffee featuring a canvas dyed with actual coffee grounds. All three options are available on the Food Textile online shop for ¥9,000 ($83) per pair.
Converse Blue Mallow
Converse Drip Coffee
Source: Converse Japan | PR Times