Sneakers made from plastic waste? This Indian brand is doing what many others won’t

Not all fashion is built to follow what’s next; some brands are designed to redefine what matters. Thaely belongs firmly in the latter category. At the intersection of sustainability, innovation and sharp design, the Indian footwear brand has built its identity around a radical yet thoughtful idea, turning plastic waste into covetable, high-performance sneakers. Each pair of Thaely shoes is crafted using recycled materials, including plastic bags and bottles, paired with recycled rubber soles and entirely vegan production processes. But what truly sets the brand apart is its refusal to treat sustainability as a secondary feature. At Thaely, ethics and aesthetics move in lockstep.

Founded with the intent to tackle plastic waste while supporting ethical manufacturing and marginalised communities, Thaely has emerged as a symbol of responsible design done right. The brand’s commitment has earned it PETA certification and the Best Sneaker Award from PETA in 2021, further cementing its place in the global sustainable fashion conversation. In conversation with founder Ashay Bhave, we unpack the brand’s origins, design philosophy, material innovation and what the future holds for sneakers in a post-hype era.

Harper's Bazaar: You were just about to turn 23 when you founded Thaely. What first sparked your interest in fashion, and how did sustainability become central to that journey?

Ashay Bhave: I was a sneakerhead growing up and deeply immersed in hip-hop culture. Sneakers were an integral part of hip-hop, especially during my middle and high school years between 2010 and 2015, when Kanye was having a legendary run with the Yeezys. At the time, limited releases like these were barely available in India. Designing my own shoes became an outlet for me, a way to create what I couldn’t access.

The sustainability aspect came naturally. My family instilled environmentally conscious values in us from a young age. My mother was actively involved in setting up small-scale waste management plants in our neighbourhood. One of my earliest design projects was creating the label for the vermicompost produced by her plant, which is where I first learned to use Adobe software. That experience not only sparked my interest in design but also laid the foundation for combining creativity with purpose.

HB: Do you have a personal favourite Thaely shoe, and what drew you to using discarded plastic bags and bottles as the foundation for your materials?

AB: For me, it’s the Reflex Boots. They’re the most out-there shoes I’ve ever designed and were definitely ahead of their time. Unfortunately, they didn’t sell as quickly as I had hoped. Still, they perfectly reflected my personal style and taste then, and honestly, they still do. I’m pretty sure people will look back at them in the future and pay insane resale prices. Maybe that’s when we’ll re-release them.

That said, at the moment, the Tech Tabis are my favourites. They’re the pair I wear most often and have become part of my daily uniform. They’ve helped shape my lifestyle, making me more active and giving me a reason to work out, hike, and run as much as possible. They’ve also pushed the brand in a new direction, one that’s working far better than anything we’ve done before.

HB: Turning waste into wearable design is no small feat. What was the most challenging or surprising part of transforming plastic waste into sneakers?

AB: The availability of usable waste is surprisingly challenging. The waste management and segregation systems we have in place are still quite primitive. Many of the recycling processes we use today had to be developed almost from scratch. We also had to convince and align multiple stakeholders to work with us. Beyond that, achieving the right balance between durability, sustainability, design, and comfort was a major challenge. It took multiple iterations and production batches to get it right.

HB: If you had to define Thaely in three words, what would they be—and why?

AB: Design-led because aesthetics and performance come first, sustainability only works if people genuinely want to wear the product. Purpose-driven because everything we do is rooted in reducing waste and rethinking materials. Progressive because we’re constantly evolving, technically, culturally, and as a brand; rather than sticking to what’s safe or expected.

HB: Collaboration plays a key role in shaping fashion narratives today. What would your dream collaboration look like?

AB: I’ve been really into motorcycling over the past few months, so collaborating with an electric bike company would be a dream. Brands like Stark Future or Ultraviolette really excite me. I’d love to design a vegan leather riding boot, something that blends performance, safety and design while staying true to our sustainability values.

HB: Who or what influences your personal sense of style, and how does that translate into your work at Thaely?

AB: Movies influence my personal sense of style more than anything else. Whenever I watch a film with a strong, distinct aesthetic, it almost immediately translates into how I dress and how I design. That influence shows up clearly in my work at Thaely. The Reflex Boots were inspired by Dune and Mad Max, the Y2K Pros drew from Mid90s and Kids, and the Tech Tabis were influenced by Legend of Ochi and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Each product becomes a way of translating cinematic worlds into something wearable and functional.

HB: How would you describe Thaely’s design language, and what visual or functional elements define the brand?

AB: Over the years, my design language has evolved significantly. Today, I am particularly drawn to biomimicry, finding inspiration in nature to create functional, utilitarian products that sometimes feel almost alien or futuristic. My focus extends beyond form; I design with the production process in mind, aiming to minimise material use, reduce human intervention, and limit waste. The goal is to create products that are practically flawless, where efficiency, sustainability, and aesthetics converge.

HB: Black and white feature prominently across your collections. Is this a conscious aesthetic choice, and what do these colours represent for you?

AB: Black and white used to be a defining feature of our collections. It was a conscious choice early on, partly because they were the safest and most versatile colours to work with. Over time, we’ve become bolder. Introducing new colours for our proprietary materials was challenging at first, but we’ve moved past that. Recently, we launched vibrant reds and yellows, and the market has responded really well, which has encouraged us to continue exploring a broader palette.

HB: Sneakers may not dominate trend cycles in the way they once did. How is Thaely evolving its design and positioning to stay relevant in 2026 and beyond?

AB: We’re not focused on chasing trends. Our goal is to create utility-focused shoes that can become part of your everyday “uniform.” Sneaker culture still has pockets of hype, especially in India, but fatigue is inevitable. What won’t fade is the need for functional, sustainable shoes that are good for people and the planet at an accessible price point. That’s where we see Thaely evolving: creating shoes that are timeless, practical, and responsible, rather than just fashionable.

In an industry often driven by excess and speed, Thaely offers a compelling alternative, one where design integrity, environmental responsibility and cultural relevance coexist seamlessly. By transforming plastic waste into thoughtfully engineered footwear, the brand proves that sustainability doesn’t have to come at the cost of style or performance. As sneaker culture recalibrates and consumers look beyond fleeting trends, Thaely’s focus on utility, longevity and purpose positions it firmly for the future. More than just a shoe label, it stands as a blueprint for what modern Indian fashion can achieve when innovation is guided by intention.

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