In the evolving landscape of sustainable business practices, Vivobarefoot stands out as a pioneer not just aiming for sustainability but striving for regeneration. Founded in 2012 by cousins Galahad and Asher Clark, this London-based footwear company has reimagined what it means to produce and sell shoes, embedding human rights and environmental stewardship at the core of its operations.

Vivobarefoot have set out to become a regenerative business, which is visionary in an industry that is famous for exploration, extraction and short-termism. Their ambition focus on three pillars: Regenerative Business, Regenerative Product, and Regenerative Community. In a world where greenwashing is easier than transformation, Vivobarefoot offers a serious attempt at rethinking business-as-usual — one that others can learn from, build on, and even outgrow.

In this post, I highlight five examples of where Vivobarefoot are implementing their sustainable and regenerative thinking.

Circular Economy in Product Design

Vivobarefoot’s mission transcends traditional footwear design. Their products are crafted to restore natural foot function, promoting human health. This philosophy extends to planetary health, with the company embracing regenerative principles that seek to restore and enhance ecosystems rather than merely minimizing harm.

A notable innovation is their collaboration with material science company Balena to develop the world’s first compostable shoe. Utilizing BioCir® Flex, a bio-based, recyclable thermoplastic, these shoes are designed for industrial composting, breaking down within 90 days without leaving toxic residues. This initiative addresses the significant environmental impact of traditional footwear, which often ends up in landfills due to complex material compositions. (1)

This innovation directly embeds circular economy into the design. If Vivobarefoot wants to be regenerative, the compost should for example be feeding degraded ecosystems or regenerative farms. Thus, the benefit is still preventative and not yet restorative.

Circular Economy in the Business Model

• ReVivo: Launched in 2020, ReVivo is an e-commerce platform dedicated to refurbishing and reselling worn Vivobarefoot shoes. This program not only extends the life of their products but also reduces waste and offers consumers more affordable options. (2)
• VivoBiome: This project introduces a scan-to-print, made-to-measure footwear system. By leveraging 3D printing technology and local manufacturing, VivoBiome aims to minimize waste, reduce carbon emissions, and create shoes tailored to individual customers. (3), (4)

These systems disrupt harmful patterns and build the infrastructure that could act as future regenerative loops.

Human-Centered Regeneration in the Supply Chain

Vivobarefoot’s sustainable ambition extends to its supply chain and labor practices. The company supports a social enterprise factory in Ethiopia, providing fair wages and skill development opportunities in a country without a set minimum wage. Additionally, they source leather from small-scale independent farmers in Africa, ensuring ethical sourcing and supporting local economies. (5), (6)

These approaches help restore human dignity and economic agency — essential pillars of regenerative design. They do not merely avoid harm, but invest in the long-term wellbeing of people within the business ecosystem.

Sustainable Logistics through Strategic Partnerships

Recognizing the environmental impact of logistics, Vivobarefoot partnered with Maersk to overhaul its supply chain. This collaboration led to the establishment of local warehouses, reducing delivery times and emissions. Maersk’s ECO Delivery program, which utilizes lower-GHG fuels, further aligns with Vivobarefoot’s decarbonization goals. The partnership exemplifies how companies can work together to create more sustainable and efficient logistics systems. (7), (8)

This systems-level approach that thinks beyond product to platform is foundational for regenerative business. While not fully regenerative in itself, it creates a scalable architecture for future restoration.

Open-Sourcing Regeneration through Radical Transparency

In an industry often characterized by proprietary secrecy, Vivobarefoot distinguishes itself by embracing openness. The company is not only transparent about its successes but also candid about its challenges, inviting collaboration and scrutiny from peers and competitors alike.

The VMatrix: A Tool for Industry-Wide Impact

Central to Vivobarefoot’s transparency initiative is the VMatrix, an internal sustainability scoring tool developed in partnership with Made2Flow. This tool evaluates each product based on materials, durability, repairability, and end-of-life recyclability, assigning a comprehensive sustainability score. Vivobarefoot has expressed intentions to open-source the VMatrix, aiming to provide other footwear brands with a means to assess and reduce their environmental impacts. (9)

Unfinished Business: Sharing the Journey

Vivobarefoot’s commitment to transparency is further exemplified by its annual impact report, “Unfinished Business.” This report offers a candid look at the company’s progress toward regenerative goals, detailing both achievements and areas needing improvement. Moreover, Vivobarefoot have a blog where they share their story and innovations. By openly sharing this information, Vivobarefoot encourages industry-wide dialogue and collective advancement toward sustainability. (10)

Overview of regenerative impact

Regenerative Principle	Vivobarefoot’s Position
Restores ecosystems	Not yet — still prevention-focused
Strengthens human dignity	Yes, through fair labor & local sourcing
Circular and closed-loop systems	Yes, though mostly within reuse/recycle
Systems thinking and innovation	Strong — rethinking production and distribution
Regenerative metrics & transparency	Partial — VMatrix helps, but ecosystem feedback loops are not yet visible

While the company are not regenerating soil, water, or biodiversity, they are regenerating aspects of human health, economic fairness, and business practice. And in an industry built on extraction and disposability, that’s a meaningful shift.

A Model for Regenerative Business

Vivobarefoot’s approach offers a blueprint for other companies aiming to transition from sustainability to regeneration:

1. Product Design: Develop products that restore and enhance human and environmental health.
2. Circular Economy: Implement programs for product take-back, refurbishment, and recycling to extend product life cycles.
3. Ethical Supply Chain: Ensure fair labor practices and support local communities through ethical sourcing.
4. Sustainable Logistics: Collaborate with partners to reduce emissions and improve efficiency in the supply chain.
5. Transparent Impact Metrics: Use regenerative scorecards (like VMatrix or Common Earth’s Regenerative Lenses) to measure not just carbon, but life, resilience, and justice.

Sources:

• (1): Financial Times, 2024
• (2): ReVivo
• (3): The Guardian, 2024
• (4): VivoBiome
• (5): Footware Today, 2020
• (6): Made in Ethiopia
• (7): Maersk
• (8): Scope 3 Magasin, 2025
• (9): VMatrix
• (10): Vivobarefoot Unfinished Business