M&S has been working for the past 18 months on the footwear as part of its efforts to address social and environmental issues through its Plan A programme Rice husks, plastic bottles and coffee grounds are all being used in the manufacture of Marks and Spencer s first range of sustainable footwear - Footglove Earth .

The new range, now available on the M&S website, is made from a variety of post-consumer waste. Half of the shoe s reinforcements are formed from recycled plastic bottles; 57% of the linings are made from coffee grounds; while the flexible sole consists of 35% natural rubber and 10% rice husks. Water-based adhesives requiring less water and energy to produce have also been used, rather than solvent or latex.

All of the individual components of the shoes have been sourced from suppliers who had either developed them using recycled post consumer waste or in a sustainable way. The leather upper has been sustainably sourced from a certified tannery, while 100% of the polyester thread used in construction and 70% of the foam padding are recycled.

The factory manufacturing the shoes is also signed on to M&S s Plan A sustainability programme and became one of the company s eco factories ; ensuring it is more environmentally water, waste and energy efficient.

For more information please visit:http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/blog/stories/making-a-lighter-footprint