Interview about XpreSole Panto Rainboots, winner of the A' Footwear, Shoes and Boots Design Award 2021
XpreSole Panto an ecofriendly spent coffee grounds reused and ultra lightweight rainboot. One pair of boots makes from 15 cups of spent coffee grounds, a massive source of greenhouse gases when they are landfilled. With the circular economy in mind. It upcycles spent coffee ground as the major component. The innovative process covers a pair of boots lifecycles closely associated with community engagements from material harvest to reuse. With the innovative coating technology, XpreSole Panto designs as a rain boot based on a balancing act of sustainability and functionality.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsWe saw the massive waste impact of 25 billion kg of spent coffee grounds annually and decided to transform a global problem into a scalable material solution. Instead of just using coffee fabric like others, we developed XpreSole® technology to turn coffee into every major layer of the boot. Each pair upcycles 15 cups of coffee waste. Our goal was not just sustainability — but proof that waste can outperform virgin materials.
We engineered a dual-layer system: the outer shell provides full waterproof protection while the inner bootie uses coffee yarns for breathability and odor control. Each layer is optimized for its own performance role rather than forcing one material to do everything. This allowed us to achieve waterproofing, structural integrity, and comfort simultaneously — while staying ultra-lightweight.
We intentionally designed the boots to be foamless on the inside, preventing water absorption and deterioration during washing. The coffee-infused materials are naturally antimicrobial and hydrophobic. After over 100 accelerated machine wash cycles, the boots showed no performance loss — setting a new benchmark for long-life sustainable footwear.
We wanted sustainability to be emotionally desirable — not just responsible. The natural coffee aroma reinforces authenticity, and the modern minimalist design makes the boot wearable beyond rainy days. By optimizing material density and removing every unnecessary gram, we achieved one-third the weight of traditional rainboots.
We collect spent coffee grounds directly from local cafés, turning everyday waste into valuable material — creating immediate community impact. This collaboration increases public awareness and participation in circular economy behavior. People don’t just buy the product — they feel part of a movement.
Our key breakthrough was not just mixing coffee with EVA — but controlling particle size, bonding consistency, and compounding ratios to retain both structure and flexibility. The result is a material that is waterproof, lightweight, responsive, and low-impact. It behaves like high-performance EVA — but is made from upcycled waste.
Our technology is designed for global scalability — because coffee waste exists everywhere. The formula works across multiple product categories beyond rainboots. Our long-term vision is to build an entire material platform that can eliminate coffee ground waste at industrial scale.
One pivotal moment was when we discovered that coffee compounds could not only replace fabric — but also structural parts like outsole and shell. That shifted the vision from partial sustainability to full-material integration. It allowed us to design a complete ecosystem, not just a “green feature.”
This project reinforced our belief that sustainability must be performance-driven and commercially viable — not optional or decorative. It accelerated our roadmap toward fully carbon-neutral footwear solutions. We now see circular design not as a trend — but the foundation of all future product creation.
We engineered the coffee yarn bootie and sock-liner to actively manage moisture, odor, and long-wear comfort using natural antimicrobial properties of coffee. Meanwhile, the shell maintains waterproof protection externally. This layered architecture ensures both technical performance and day-long urban comfort — without compromise.
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