All it takes is one gesture: scanning the QR code hidden in the tongue of the ID.EIGHT sneakers to access Experience ID.EIGHT, the Tuscan brand’s first digital platform created in collaboration with WRÅD, a project that blends technology, sustainability, and urban culture, transforming every purchase into an engaging extension of the brand's identity.
The heart of the platform is sustainability lived in everyday life. Those who wear the sneakers can access, through the shoes themselves, exclusive content that reveals their deepest identity. From the complete traceability of the value chain to a map of the “intangible ingredients” that tell the story and principles of the brand, down to the details regarding physical materials. All accompanied by a care and repair guide designed to extend their lifespan. At the end of their lifecycle, the sneakers can be returned free of charge thanks to a dedicated collection service, which ensures they are recycled through a downcycling process.
Beyond the more informative and project-based dimension, the experience also includes a space dedicated to urban culture: City Guides. A space that extends the ID.EIGHT vision to the way cities are experienced, traversed every day in one's sneakers. The guides propose alternative itineraries—in Milan, Berlin, London, Naples, and Seoul—to discover authentic places to walk, relax, eat, and socialize. Each includes a tribute to the dual soul of the brand: Neapolitan and Korean. Thus, wherever you are, it will be possible to find an excellent pizza or enjoy authentic kimchi.
“We didn't just want to tell the story of where our materials come from, but to offer something that would remain even after the purchase,” explain Giuliana Borzillo and Dong Seon Lee, founders of ID.EIGHT. “Today’s customer wants to participate, not just listen. That’s why we built an experience that speaks the language of our community: practical, creative, authentic.”
ID.EIGHT was born in Florence in 2019 from the idea of South Korean designer Dong Seon Lee and Italian product manager Giuliana Borzillo. The brand stands out for its use of materials derived from food waste: apple peels and cores (Uppeal), grape pomace from the wine industry (Vegea), corn, and mycelium (BioVeg). The production process is transparent, traceable, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free. The uppers are Made in Italy, the linings are certified organic cotton, and the laces and labels are recycled. The sole is made of natural and recycled rubber. Over 70% of the sneaker is made with recycled materials or materials from renewable sources. The brand has also activated a recycling service with ESO Recycling and a collaboration with the DisanaPianta laboratory for sustainable repairs.
The editorial concept of Experience ID.EIGHT was developed in collaboration with WRÅD, a design and consulting studio co-founded by Matteo Ward and now part of Inside Out—the holding company created by Suzy Amis Cameron, an entrepreneur and activist internationally recognized for her commitment to environmental protection.
Since 2015, WRÅD has been working to inspire and enable companies to challenge the unsustainable status quo of the fashion industry. It does so through an integrated approach that combines education, communication, design, and innovation. With this in mind, it carries out pro bono educational projects in schools and universities, with the goal of spreading a new culture of sustainability starting with the younger generations.
Experience ID.EIGHT will be accessible starting with the FW2025 collection. The project is just the beginning: the platform is designed to grow over time, with new content, new cities, and new contributions from the community. There remains only one point of access: the sneaker. Because it is the person wearing it who can make the difference.
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ID.EIGHT is the sustainable, cruelty-free, and genderless sneaker brand founded in Florence in 2019 by South Korean designer Dong Seon Lee and Italian product manager Giuliana Borzillo. ID.EIGHT sneakers are made with materials derived from food industry waste—such as apple peels, grape stems and skins, and pineapple leaves. The brand has already earned significant recognition, including the special Pitti Immagine award within the "Who is on Next" competition by Vogue and Altaroma, the Green Product Award 2020, and the CALLforFASHION from the MIP incubator in Florence.
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CONTACTS
ID.EIGHT Press Office: Serena Gasparoni sere.gasparoni@gmail.com
Mobile: 3405601016
