J-UNK reuses damaged fire-fighting hoses

Reusing damaged fire-fighting hoses to make shoes. This is the motto of J-UNK, the new footwear brand that has just hit the market.  

The idea arose in 2019 when Jacinto Oliveira was looking for options to the shoe brand he used to buy from. Since the alternatives he found did not match what he was looking for, he ended up spotting a business opportunity. In collaboration with Shoeslutions, he looked for a strong identity, with an emotional connection that made sense.

Created in 2020, the brand incorporates slow fashion’s concepts and its adage is "Buy less, but better”. For J-UNK, the products must be of quality and superior durability, as this is the only way to buy less often and use fewer natural resources for the benefit of the environment.
Each purchase contributes with a donation in favour of humanitarian associations of volunteer firefighters.

"The environmental concern, intrinsic to the entire project, begins with the reuse of damaged fire-fighting hoses, a product that would otherwise end up in the rubbish, and which is now reused. Incorporated in the aesthetic and functional handle present in all models or crushed into the soles of the sportier models, these hoses gain a new life cycle”, says the brand in a statement.

The leathers used are from vegetable tanning, a method that uses plant extracts and does not resort to heavy metals, and have the guarantee of being a natural by-product of the food industry. Bio leather linings are biodegradable in 15 days and also offer health benefits.

Every detail counts to make the world a better and sustainable place, therefore, all models are handcrafted in Portugal, using local suppliers and small family factories that follow values such as integrity, transparency and responsible manufacturing.

With a design inspired by the hipster and punk movements and culture, J-UNK has decided to focus on opening minds and breaking stereotypes by introducing a range of genderless models where all models and colours are to be used by all people.

The name was born from the union of "punk” style and "hipster”. "We want to bring together a more careful, aesthetic and perfect side that characterizes "hipster” with a more irreverent side, linked to music and full of the sex appeal that distinguishes "punk”.

After creating the models, the brand moves now forward with the production and commercialization through the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, where each person can contribute to the brand’s development.