Step into Sustainability

Texas shoe company goes green with fashionable new recycled sneaker

The Legacy is made using eight post-consumer water bottles and 100 percent vegan materials.

Photo courtesy of SUAVS

Texas footwear brand SUAVS is kicking into 2020 with sustainability in mind. The Austin-based brand, which launched in 2015, is introducing its first-ever shoe made entirely from recycled materials. The Recycled Knit Legacy Sneaker, a new high-top style, is the first of many eco-conscious releases to come, the company says.

Much like earlier SUAVS styles, the new sneaker features lightweight comfort, breathable construction, and a cool silhouette to deliver all-day comfort for travel, commutes, and other activities. While the newest style includes signature elements of the brand's product line, it also features ethical upgrades, including 100 percent vegan materials (even down to the glue). The shoe is made using up to eight recycled water bottles, and sustainable production methods have been put in place to reduce material waste during the manufacturing process.

SUAVS CEO Monxi Garza says the new style is the result of the company's focus on sustainability, something that has long been in the works for the brand.

“At SUAVS, we don’t just want to create the most comfortable, versatile shoes,” Garza says. “They need to be sustainable, as well. We’ve been working on sourcing sustainable materials for a few years now. As soon as we were able to create a durable, equally as soft, and comfortable knit that was also made from recycled materials, we made the switch.”

Additionally, the new sneaker is designed with considerable comfort improvements and boasts a softer material than other classic SUAVS styles.

“Our Legacy high tops look like a boot, wear like a sneaker, and feel like a sock,” Garza says. “These updates allow for a more natural and comfortable fit, while also increasing durability in different terrains and weather conditions.”

The release marks a new era for the footwear label. Beginning this year, all new launches and current SUAVS styles will be made using sustainable materials, further solidifying the company’s focus on producing a smaller carbon footprint. Unsold styles will be donated to nonprofit organizations like Soles4Souls and LifeWorks.

“It’s a matter of accountability as a consumer brand and being more conscious about the products we create for our customers and the environment,” Garza explains. Shoppers can expect even more sustainable and sleek SUAVS styles and colors in the months ahead, with the next launch slated for as early as February 2020.

The Recycled Knit Legacy Sneaker is $110 and is available in three colors in both men’s and women’s sizes.

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RETAIL APOCALYPSE

Mall favorite Francesca's to close all stores in Dallas and nationwide

Francesca's/ Facebook

Francesca's is known for its boho-chic dresses and tops.

After a decade of falling fortunes, Texas-based women’s clothing chain Francesca’s is clearing out all its racks. The once-mighty retailer is closing all of its stores nationwide, including several locations in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Although the company has not made any official pronouncement, Women’s Wear Daily reports that the brand is currently in the process of liquidating all of its inventory. According to the fashion industry trade journal, some employees are reporting that they were let go without warning, while vendors are allegedly seeking payment on hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid invoices.

Francesca’s was founded in Houston in 1999, becoming sought out for its boho-chic offerings that occupied a similar lane to Anthropologie. Over roughly 15 years, it quickly ramped up its footprint, peaking at over 600 locations by 2016.

That explosive growth did not prove to be popular with shareholders. That same year, the Wall Street Journal reported that its stock prices had plunged to their lowest price since Francesca’s went public in 2011. Despite leadership changes, the chain has been on a downward slope since.

In 2020, Francesca’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while it sought a buyer for its online operation and brick-and-mortar stores. The chain closed almost 250 of its storefronts by early 2021.

After completing reorganization and being bought out of bankruptcy by an affiliate of TerraMar Capital and Tiger Capital Group, Francesca’s attempted a revival by launching a tween line, Franki by Francesca’s, and gobbling up celebrity-endorsed lifestyle brand Richer Poorer.

Francesca's still had Dallas-Fort Worth stores in West Village, Galleria Dallas, Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, Firewheel Town Center in Garland, The Shops at Legacy in Plano, The Shops at Highland Village, Southlake Town Square, NorthEast Mall, Arlington Highlands, Glade Park in Euless, and Sundance Square and The Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth.

It’s unclear exactly when the local stores will shutter, but the company recently changed its return policy to state all sales are final after January 14. A request to Francesca’s corporate headquarters for comment was not immediately returned.

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