Start-up Footwear Firm Acbc Set to Release ‘World’s Most Sustainable Shoe’

MILAN — The appetite for sneakers does not appear to be waning, with customers spending around $192 for the category in 2019, 39 percent more than in the previous year, according to fashion search platform Lyst’s “Year in Fashion” research.
Taking advantage of the category’s global resonance, footwear start-up Acbc is launching on Thursday a fund-raiser through Kickstarter with which it aims to build a community and launch what’s billed as “the world’s most sustainable shoe.” Concurrently, a $5 million capital increase bringing in additional backers will allow the company to invest in marketing, workforce and enhance its direct-to-consumer approach.
It’s a comeback to the popular crowdfunding platform for Acbc, which went direct-to-consumer with a Kickstarter campaign in 2016 that raised $700,000 and allowed the company to produce the patented modular sneaker they’ve become known for. The shoes are engineered with a zipper system that ties together the sole, available in 10 variations, with around 100 upper parts, also tapping into the customization trend. The concept has generated hype and provided Acbc with cobranded collaborations with Emporio Armani’s EA7 line and Moschino.
Since cofounders Gio Giacobbe and Edoardo Iannuzzi, who hold the chief executive officer and creative director roles, respectively, have established the

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