These Dirt Shoes grant you the mystical power of Mother Nature

Created by studio Basura for brand Yerba Madre, these shoes are a performance piece for the everyday. Catching up with Its Nice That, Basura’s founder Rajeev Basu explains the shoes are “a symbolic expression of Yerba Madre’s values and commitment to people and the planet”; Yerba Madre translates to ‘Mother Earth’. As the shoes break down, and return to the earth, these Dirt Shoes sow seeds as you go. Basura is known for these conceptual art projects, having created Between Two Naps – a collection of high fashion helmets for sleepy pups.

On its Yerba Madre project, Basura carefully considers the message behind the conceptual branding. The drink Yerba Madre is brewed from naturally caffeinated leaves derived from the yerba mate tree, and sets out to support and protect habitats facing deforestation. Its mission is to preserve these environments through regeneration projects, with respect to Indigenous cultures who have tended to the land. In the words of Emily Kortlang, Yerba Madre’s CMO: “The shoes mirror our regeneration message in what they represent to Mother Earth and the work we’re doing with the communities who steward it.” She continues in perfect encapsulation, “We want to ‘walk the walk’ in regeneration.”

The Dirt Shoes were developed alongside material science experts, using biodegradable binding agents to keep its structure. This involves careful thought of the ratio of soil mixes, resulting in a lot of trial and error for the project. Rajeev explains. “The trick was finding the right balance… in the end we used acacia gum.” Looking at traditional footwear design, Basura directed its effects in finding “points of failure” as he describes. Ensuring proper flex while walking, they honed in on creating natural creasing in the design.

In alignment with Yerba Madre’s mission, Basura ensured to use low-impact manufacturing processes in the shoe’s packaging development – parts of its packaging are made from post-consumer waste, while others are biodegradable. “The starch foam the shoes sit inside of, in the box, completely dissolves in water. The tray inside the box is made using pressed flowers, an info card inside is printed on recycled cotton rag with vegan ink, even the string that holds the socks in place uses raffia.”

This collaboration with Yerba Madre is a favourite for the studio, a marker of Basura’s unconventional and out-of-the-box approach to branding. The studio is solid in where it sits; Rajeev describes Basura as making “weird conceptual art projects that achieve a goal… things that people are more likely to interact with, enjoy and share, over a regular ad.” Basura is excited to do more of what it does best , leaning into the ingenuity and irreverence that has paved its way thus far and pushing the boundaries of impact-led brand campaigns.