Sporty Hemp Shoes

Sportswear giant New Balance is joining the hemp shoe craze by reimagining a popular silhouette with a full textile reconstruction. The model in question is the New Balance 550 which is usually characterized by "leather tooling." However, the new model prioritizes a hemp upper with mesh tongues and suede detailing. The shoe is mostly monochromatic, with the exception of the New Balance branding and the 550 embroidery on the side. The New Balance 550 Hemp construction is part of a recent New Balance pattern that sees the brand "straying away from sporting-fueled colorways" and looking to embrace something more elegant and inconspicuous.
Hemp shoes are known to be sustainable footwear options that do not compromise performance. As a material, hemp is a naturally durable fiber that is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, breathable, and quite comfortable.
Image Credit: New Balance, hypebeast, mary-magazine