Balenciaga launches Triple S sneaker made from Bananatex

Balenciaga has presented a new version of its Triple S sneaker featuring an upper made from the natural material Bananatex, which is manufactured by the textile company Bananatex AG based in Zug, Switzerland. According to a press release, this is the world’s first durable, biodegradable and plastic-free material made exclusively from Abacá banana plants cultivated in a regenerative manner.

Balenciaga, which is headquartered in Paris and operates Balenciaga Switzerland SA from a location in Zurich, is launching a limited edition of the Triple S sneaker, which has become a signature design of Balenciaga since first being launched in 2017. According to the Bananatex press release, it is now even regarded as something of a classic. The new Balenciaga Triple S featuring the Bananatex upper is the result of a development process that lasted several years and the close collaboration between the two brands, the press release explains. It will be launched in natural white and black with matching laces and an embroidered Balenciaga logo on the side, the company explains further.

“The launch of the iconic Triple S with Bananatex, our next-generation innovation, is a huge honor”, comments Hannes Schoenegger, co-founder and CEO of Bananatex, in the press release. The Triple S range is available in selected Balenciaga stores around the world and online, according to the press release.

Bananatex, which has been awarded a Cradle to Cradle certification, was developed by the Zurich-based design studio QWSTION in partnership with a yarn specialist and a weaving partner based in Taiwan. Bananatex is compostable, which helps to close the natural product cycle. ce/gba