About Planet Kicks

Most sneakers today are made from plastic. That means oil. And when they’re worn out, they usually end up in landfills, incinerators, or—eventually—our oceans, food systems, and bodies. Even brands claiming to be sustainable often lean on recycled plastic, which still sheds microfibers and delays—not solves—the problem.

This platform was born from a search for something better.

I wanted to find sneakers that aligned with my values—plastic-free, plant-based, repairable, traceable, regenerative. What I found instead was a market dominated by the same materials, the same marketing, and the same handful of brands. Meanwhile, many indie companies doing truly interesting work were hard to find—or already gone.

This site aims to make those brands easier to discover.

It’s a living directory of footwear that challenges the norm—a place to explore materials, innovations, and ideas that move us closer to a post-plastic future. No hype. No greenwashing. Just real efforts to build better shoes—and a better system.

About Me

I'm Anna Nicholls, a sustainability strategist and fashion industry outsider exploring what it takes to move beyond fossil-fueled fashion. I co-created Rethink the Runway, a flagship exhibit for SF Climate Week 2025 spotlighting circular design and material innovation. Before that, I led corporate partnerships at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and was selected to join the 12-week Climatebase Fellowship program—a cohort-based experience for professionals exploring climate solutions and systems change.

Planet Kicks is my effort to track the people, brands, and breakthroughs redefining what footwear can be—and to make them easier for others to discover too.

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