Rothy’s New Kids’ Sneakers Are as Cute as You’d Expect

Rothy’s is adding a little kick to its kids’ collection. The San Francisco-based brand — known for its colorful knit shoes fashioned from recycled plastic water bottles — has debuted a whimsical capsule of sneakers for its smallest fans.

Available in sizes 11 to 4, the new unisex sneaker offering features slip-on styles with sporty rubber bottoms and Rothy’s signature stretch-knit socklike uppers. Kids can choose from a rainbow of solid-colored designs (including kelly green, bubblegum pink and steel gray) or fun prints such as rainbow stripes, flames and even fun takes on camouflage using animals like llamas and puppies. Priced at $55 a pair and available on the Rothy’s website, the sneakers are machine-washable, making them perfect for school and play.

rothy's, kids' sneakers — An animal-inspired camouflage print style from Rothy’s new kids’ sneaker collection.

CREDIT: Courtesy of Rothy's

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Founded in 2016 by entrepreneurs Roth Martin and Stephen Hawthornthwaite, Rothy’s is built around a sustainable production model that aims to reduce the tremendous amount of wasted material that results from conventional shoemaking processes. Rather than cutting out upper patterns and stitching together the pieces, Rothy’s utilizes 3-D printers to knit a shoe around the shape of a foot, only using the exact amount of material needed.

To produce its sustainable knits, Rothy’s sources plastic bottles in bulk from recycling centers around the world, chipping them into tiny flakes that are processed into soft fibers. To date, the company has diverted more than 25 million bottles from landfills.

In just three years, Rothy’s has managed to build quite a wide-reaching fan base, from working women and moms on the go to numerous high-profile celebrities. Meghan Markle was spotted wearing a pair of the brand’s black ballet flats during her royal tour of Australia last fall with husband Prince Harry. During a beach walk in Melbourne, the duchess swapped out her usual high heels for a pair of the comfy shoes.