Spotlighting Circular Brands: Part 3
From Gurugram to Brooklyn to Copenhagen - three sneaker brands proving that circular design can travel the world, turning waste into wearable style across India, the US, and Europe.
Editor’s Note: Fashion doesn’t have to be linear. In this ongoing series, we spotlight brands turning waste into value and bringing circularity to life - one story, one material, one maker at a time.
In Part 1, we explored how old saris, organic cotton, and tree-planting connected fashion to regeneration. Part 2 took us from denim and soda tabs to handwoven plastic - proof that creativity can close loops across continents. Now, in Part 3, we step into the world of sneakers — where Thaely, Nothing New, and VAER reinvent what footwear can be: ethical, innovative, and circular by design.
Thaely - Plastic Bags Reinvented
The Origin Story
Thaely is an Indian sustainable sneaker brand founded in 2021 by Ashay Bhave. His inspiration for Thaely came from witnessing the problem of plastic waste firsthand through his mother’s involvement in a local waste management facility. “Thaely,” derived from the Hindi word for “plastic bag,” reflects its mission to turn waste into wearable goods.
What Makes It Circular
Every pair of Thaely sneakers is made in India from upcycled materials. The upper fabric, known as “ThaelyTex”, is made entirely from recycled plastic bags without any added chemicals in the processing. The soles are made from recycled rubber, minimizing waste and environmental impact. Packaging is also designed to close loops: for example, shoeboxes made from recycled paper embedded with basil seeds, dyed with waste coffee grounds, capable of being planted.
Why It Matters
Each pair of shoes is made from 12 recycled plastic bags and 10 plastic bottles. As of 2023, the brand has already recycled over 48,000 bottles and 50,000 bags.
The brand also ensures ethical working conditions for waste management workers in India, offering fair wages, better work hours, and education programs. Its entire production process is vegan, using cruelty-free adhesives and detergents, earning PETA’s Best Sneaker Award in 2021 and a B Corp certification for social and environmental responsibility.
The Bigger Picture
With expansion plans underway in Dubai, Europe, and the United States, Ashay Bhave’s Thaely is emerging as more than just a footwear label - it’s a case study in how sustainability can drive business growth. By marrying innovation with ethical manufacturing, the brand is redefining what responsible fashion can look like on a global stage: greener, fairer, and rooted in purpose.
The X-Factor
Thaely is a complete expression of conscious design - caring for local communities, protecting animals, and reducing the planet’s waste footprint. A brand where compassion and innovation walk hand in hand.
Price For Your Pocket
With sneakers starting at around INR 3,500 (~ 40 USD) and boots from INR 5,000 (~60 USD), Thaely makes sustainable style surprisingly accessible - proving that conscious fashion doesn’t have to cost the earth.
Nothing New - Redefining New…One Upcycled Step at a Time
The Origin Story
In 2019, frustrated by how much waste and pollution the footwear industry generates, Nolan Walsh, asked himself : what if sneakers could be made entirely from things that already exist?
His answer became Nothing New - a sneaker brand built on circular design, quality craftsmanship, and environmental responsibility, proving that sustainability and style can share the same footprint.
What Makes It Circular
Every pair of Nothing New sneakers is crafted from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification for the upper, with other components crafted from recycled cotton, fishing nets, rubber, and cork.
It also has a Virtuous Circle Program. When your Nothing New sneakers are worn out you can ship them back to the company and they will give you a $20 credit towards a new pair.
Why It Matters
The sneaker industry produces billions of pairs each year, with massive carbon, water, and waste footprints. Nothing New challenges that cycle through measurable impact. Roughly 5.6 plastic bottles go into each pair of shoes, saving 160 gallons of water in comparison to regular cotton canvas sneakers. The sneakers are made using stitch construction that forms a flexible, durable bond between the outsole and upper without the harmful glues or sulfur emissions compared to vulcanized or cemented sneakers.
The Bigger Picture
Nothing New stands at the intersection of craftsmanship and conscience. With their high tensile strength and bold colors, it gives meaning to the saying, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!”
As the world rethinks consumption, Nothing New offers a blueprint for what the future of footwear could be: less waste, more intention, and a smaller footprint with every step.
The X-Factor
They are assisting local communities turn the collection of waste materials into dignified job opportunities. Through carbon offsets, they are taking more carbon out of the environment than they are putting in - resulting in a net zero carbon footprint for every shoe they make.
Price For Your Pocket
With sneakers (both men’s and women’s) starting around $89 USD, Nothing New sits comfortably in the sweet spot between premium craftsmanship and accessible sustainability.
VAER - Where Discarded Becomes Desirable
The Origin Story
VAER Upcycled is a Copenhagen-based sustainable footwear brand founded in 2019 by Lili Dreyer, a graduate of Brunel University’s Sustainability, Entrepreneurship & Design program. The brand emerged from a university project addressing textile waste and circular fashion, originally operating under the name Wair before rebranding to VAER.
What Makes It Circular
The company’s mission is to give discarded textiles a second life by transforming old denim, uniforms, and workwear into new, upcycled sneakers. Each pair is produced using repurposed materials sourced from NGOs like the Salvation Army Denmark and corporate partners such as Europcar, which supplies discarded uniforms. The brand also operates an in-house take-back program that recycles worn shoes into new soles.
Why It Matters
The global textile waste problem is massive: every year, 92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced globally. By using existing materials, the brand reduces the need for virgin textile resources and the environmental burdens associated with them(water use, chemical inputs, energy consumption). The footwear is handmade under ethical conditions at a family-owned factory in Portugal, and all materials used including recycled rubber soles, cotton laces, and natural fiber linings are vegan and non-toxic.
The Bigger Picture
At its heart, VAER is on a mission to rewrite fashion’s linear story of take, make, and throw away. The brand envisions a world where waste becomes raw material and longevity replaces disposability. Each pair of sneakers is a quiet act of rebellion - crafted from what others discard, designed to last, and created to leave as little trace as possible
The X-Factor
VAER is doing more than turning old textiles into sneakers: through its foundation, Re:wair, the brand runs DIY kits and upcycling workshops, visiting local schools to teach young people the art of sewing, repairing, and reimagining their clothes.
Price For Your Pocket
Priced at around $140 USD, VAER sneakers may not be the cheapest on the shelf, but in a world where fast fashion’s low cost often comes at the planet’s expense, it feels like a fair price for something built to last.
Closing Note
From Thaely’s upcycled plastic bags in India, to Nothing New’s recycled materials in the US, to VAER’s repurposed textiles in Denmark - these stories remind us that circularity is a global movement, stitched together by shared intent.
As this series continues, one thing is clear: circular design isn’t a niche trend. It’s fashion’s most universal language - one pair of shoes, one community, and one story at a time.
Which of these brands inspired you most? Share your thoughts or suggest who we should spotlight next - your picks might shape Part 4 of the series.
Researched and written by Vinita for I Will Circle Back.
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That's an amazing - no wait - those are amazing 3 stories!
Loved the research and crisp way of putting it together to deliver a strong message.
Circularity is not just a need of the hour, but a possibility - as demonstrated by these 3 brands.
Thanks @Vinita and @I will Circle Back!