Virgin Collection

Photos: Marielle van Leewen  I  Shoe / Tree: Corriette Schoenaerts

OAT Shoes are the world’s first biodegradable shoes that bloom.
Wear them, plant them, and as the shoes decompose, flowers grow from your old sneakers.

After 2.5 years of development OAT Shoes was founded in 2010. The Virgin Collection was launched in January 2011.
In 7 years OAT Shoes’ team, partners and collaborators developed and produced biodegradable shoes, biodegradable leather shoes, bags, baby shoes with seeds to plant your baby’s Tree of Life, a collection of sustainable sneakers and even prototyped biodegradable t-shirts. Below is an overview of our work.

My role as founder was designing and developing the shoes, the brand, researching and sourcing materials, overseeing production and aiding sales and marketing as designer, copywriter and representative. Aside from a host of employees, interns, partners and collaborators, I am indebted to the work of my founding partner Dirk-Jan Oudshoorn for the tireless energy he put in to get OAT Shoes from the ground and my sister/CEO Frederike who worked day and night to keep OAT Shoes afloat when the tides were against us.

Skin Collection

Photos: Daniel Nogueira

Bloom Collection

Photos: Frederike Maats I Portrait: Tim van Bentum

Second Skin Collection

Photos: Marielle van Leewen

Production

Promotion