P448 Debuts P448 x Vibram, Featuring Vibram Ecostep Natural Soles with 90% Natural Biobased Elements

February 21, 2024

NEW YORK CITY (Feb. 21, 2024)/OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – P448, the Italian streetwear brand known for its master artisans and hand craftsmanship, is partnering with Vibram, the leader in high-performance soles for outdoor, recreational, work and fashion footwear, to debut the P448 x Vibram Eco-Friendly capsule February 21, 2024. Part of its Project Sustainability, the line for men and women includes two footwear styles, a hybrid sneaker-hiker and thong sandal, each with the Vibram Ecostep Natural Sole with 90% natural biobased elements. The hybrid sneaker-hiker, priced at $298, and the thong sandals, priced at $185, are available at www.p448.com as of February 21 and at the P448 store at 663 5th Avenue.

In addition to appealing to the urban outdoor adventurer, P448 is collaborating with pro surfer Balaram Stack, who is infusing his laid-back style and the adventurous spirit of surfing into the P448 x Vibram campaign, which will appear on P448 and Vibram’s social channels. Stack was born in Florida and grew up on Long Island, New York where he learned to surf, living just a block from the beach in Point Lookout. Today, he can be found chasing swells all over the world, dividing his time between New York, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. The styles are designed to be the ideal after-surf shoe taking surfing devotees from a surf session to a day in the city.

Intended for light outdoor and casual activities, the P448 x Vibram collection has a midsole made of sugarcane and bamboo for excellent versatility and balance with optimal lightness and adaptability. The Vibram Ecostep Natural outsole uses 90% natural biobased materials for enhanced quality, grip, and the leading performance for which Vibram is known. From outdoor recreation to exploration, these eco-friendly soles provide excellent traction against outdoor elements including water as well as tough terrains like mountainous dirt and sand.

“Vibram’s technical soles’ superiority mixed with its advances in eco-friendly materials makes them an ideal partner for the P448 brand,“ said Wayne Kulkin, executive chairman of StreetTrend. “With this collaboration, we are gaining traction broadening our product reach to now include the outdoor enthusiast.”

The hybrid sneaker-hiker upper consists of recycled polyester lining, microfiber and knit materials for ultimate comfort. The sandal uses algae in the footbed and in the pieces that go in between the wearer’s toes. “Repurposing waste algae into useful materials prevents it from decomposing and releasing CO2 and other harmful greenhouse gasses, reducing carbon emissions,” said Sabrina Cohen, chief sustainability officer for P448.

To minimize unnecessary packaging, P448 will ship and package the P448 x Vibram capsule in a multi-purpose 100% water resistant, thermal sealed drybag made from Vibram’s highly-durable rubber StratX, protecting shoes during shipping. It doubles as a backpack or monostrap bag after the shoes are removed.

“Our intent was to create a product that took the brand experience beyond the shoes with a full integration into the consumer’s daily adventures. The drybag saves over two pounds of paper waste per order by eliminating the shoe box,” continued Cohen.

The hybrid sneaker-hiker is available in eight robust colorways, with a palette of cool neutral tones from white, tan, and black to approachable solid color hues of olive and navy to mixed bold combinations with vibrant shades of yellow and orange.

Global Chief Brand Officer and President Fabrizio Gamberini of Vibram adds, “P448 is a great partner for Vibram and this new collection is a true celebration of how Vibram technologies pair so well with the streetwear aesthetics of P448. Our shared values of empowering individuals with thoughtfully designed footwear come through confidently in this new collection which we are proud to launch.”

About Vibram

Vibram is the world leader in the development and manufacturing of high-performance rubber soles for outdoor and leisure activities, workwear, fashion, orthopedics and correction. For more than 80 years, the yellow octagon that symbolizes Vibram has been synonymous worldwide with quality, performance, safety, and innovation in the footwear industry. With its international headquarters in Albizzate (Varese) Italy, Vibram produces over 40 million soles every year, dedicates over one million kilometers to testing, is present in 120 countries and has manufacturing, research and representation bases in the USA, China, Japan, Brazil and Italy. For more information, visit www.vibram.com.

ABOUT P448 | P448 is an Italian streetwear brand whose collections are designed to empower the individual in their own authenticity. Our sneakers are thoughtfully designed and crafted in Italy by master artisans. They are worn by makers and creators across the globe. Defined by an eclectic aesthetic, we take inspiration from the streets, underpinned by the underground spirit of subculture. Fans include Bradley Cooper, Joe Jonas, Tyler Hubbard, Jon Hamm, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lawrence, Addison Rae, Taylor Swift, Dakota Fanning, Gabrielle Union, Kiki Layne, Nico Parker, Rita Ora, Shiri Appleby, Billy Eichner, Maria Menounos, Sophia Amoruso, Arnel Pineda, Neil Perry, Lea Michelle, Chelsea Handler, Kate Hudson, Olivia Culpo, Lilly Singh, Paul George, Irina Shayk and more…

In 2020, Wayne Kulkin took on full ownership of P448 through StreetTrend LLC, in a joint venture partnership with the financial services and brand investment firm Hilco Global. StreetTrend was formed in 2017 as a JV partnership with Jeffrey Hecktman, CEO of the international investment and financial services company Hilco Global, a firm with holdings in several retail and fashion brands. Mark Wahlberg has recently become a strategic investor in the Company having taken a significant minority stake in the business.

StreetTrend designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells several footwear brands including P448 luxury sneakers at select boutiques and online at www.P448.com.