Balenciaga and QWSTION partner on banana-based sneaker

In Switzerland, QWSTION, a fashion label and producer of the banana fiber fabric Bananatex, has partnered with luxury fashion brand Balenciaga to launch sneakers made from the material.

The banana-based sneakers will be a biobased version of Balenciaga’s popular Triple S design and available in black and beige.

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

Bananatex is a fabric made from naturally grown Abacá banana plants cultivated in the Philippines. QWSTION’s cultivation method does not require pesticides, fertilizer, or additional water,  and promotes reforestation and biodiversity in areas eroded by palm plantations.