Reformation has teamed up with HOKA for a limited-edition release of the Mach 6 sneaker in three exclusive colorways: Syrah/Savvy Red, Eggnog/Shortbread, and Flint Grey/Rainy Day. Fusing fashion and function, these $190 CAD sneakers blend Reformation’s vintage-inspired style with HOKA’s athletic design. Crafted from organic cotton, smooth suede, and recycled polyester laces, these sneakers are as sustainable as they are stylish. Plus, they’re fully recyclable through Reformation’s RefRecycling program. In this Q&A with Alison Melville, chief innovation officer at Reformation, we explore the collaboration and the sustainable innovations behind it. —Noa Nichol
What was the inspiration behind blending Reformation’s vintage-inspired aesthetic with HOKA’s performance-driven Mach 6 sneaker?
The goal was to take the comfort and athletic performance HOKA is so well known for and offer a more fashion focused product in line with key trends for fall. We played with the mesh obsession that’s been such a focus in footwear in the two neutral colorways, and then pulled in the deep wine shade that is so prominent right now into our third shoe. The latter is definitely the most statement option of this drop, with a fun logo lockup that reads as vague geometric print in the abstract.
Can you tell us more about the materials used in this collection, such as organic cotton and recycled polyester, and why sustainability was a key focus?
Sustainability is core to our mission and therefore everything we set out to do. In addition to using better for the environment materials like recycled polyester, Leather Working Group certified suede and organic cotton, the shoes are recyclable at end of life through our recycling program, RefRecycling.
The campaign with Joanna Rohrback is such a fun and unexpected choice. How did this collaboration come about, and what message do you hope to convey through her involvement?
Our Chief Creative Officer Lauren Caris Cohan had the genius idea to bring Joanna into the campaign. These shoes were designed for almost any level of activity so we wanted to have some fun and play with the idea of everyday athleticism in an irreverent and cheeky way. Sports have been especially top of mind following the Olympics and we liked the idea of offering a more relatable and lighthearted view of what it means to be an athlete. Joanna quite literally prances to her own beat and we love that she doesn’t let anyone else define her idea of movement or fun.
What has been the response so far to the exclusive colourways, and do you see future collaborations between Reformation and HOKA® in the works?
We were expecting this product to sell out quickly, but nearly selling out within the first 3 days beat those expectations. This is a limited edition collaboration so there’s nothing in the works currently, but clearly there’s strong appetite for both brands. Never say never!
How does the RefRecycling program work, and what impact do you hope it will have on reducing waste in the fashion industry?
Fashion is stuck in a toxic cycle. 100+ billion clothing items are produced every year and, simultaneously, 90 million tons of textiles end up in landfills. To make matters worse, less than 1% of what’s thrown away is recycled into new clothing. Basically, we’re using too many (often limited) resources and turning them into waste. The planet hates it and so do we.
RefRecycling is a textile-to-textile recycling initiative Ref built in partnership with SuperCircle. The program recaptures and recycles products across multiple categories (everything from shoes to jeans!), keeping Ref clothes out of the trash and giving them another life.
Why we partner with SC: Historically, individual companies have struggled to reach the product volume required to recycle at scale, which may take decades to amass. Meaning that brands with recycling programs are often sitting on piles of clothing with nowhere to send them. To solve this, Reformation brought SuperCircle on to aggregate product cross-brand and create efficiencies for tapping into post-consumer recycling streams. As their first brand partner, Reformation worked with SuperCircle to help grow their network of strategic partners—from manufacturers to textile recyclers—opening the doors to develop new textile-to-textile recycling pipelines across categories (they now work with the likes of J.Crew, A.L.C, Parachute, etc).
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