RE49
RE49 is an Italian footwear brand that makes sneakers and boots from recycled, recovered and vegan materials. Its roots go back to a family company founded in 1949, and it was relaunched in 2021 as a circular economy start-up.
| Founded | 1949 |
|---|---|
| Relaunched | 2021 |
| Country | Italy |
| Product | Sneakers and boots |
| Materials | Recycled, recovered and vegan |
| Website | re49.it |
What is RE49?
RE49 is an Italian shoe brand built around a circular economy model. Its sneakers and boots are made in Italy from recycled, recovered and vegan materials, with an emphasis on quality over mass manufacturing.
History
The company traces its origins to 1949, when Valentino Masolini began turning fabric scraps and military uniforms into shoes. In 2021 his great-grandson Nicola Masolini relaunched the business as a start-up, reviving the family idea of reuse for a new generation of consumers.
Products and positioning
RE49 works with unusual inputs, including:
- Fabric from beach umbrellas and deckchairs
- Denim and old sails
- Scrap and repurposed stock fabric
- Tyres
Styles include the Mare sneakers and the Spin Tech Desert Boots. Collections are cross-seasonal and include limited editions. The company describes its production as carbon neutral and almost zero waste, supports the Giant Trees Foundation and has been working on a closed-loop system to recycle used shoes. It was a finalist at the 2022 Luxury Innovation Awards.
Why it matters
RE49 shows how a heritage family business can be repositioned around material recovery. Its approach of building footwear from post-consumer and industrial waste is an example of circular design in the Italian shoe sector.
Frequently asked questions
Where is RE49 from?
RE49 is an Italian brand and its shoes are made in Italy.
What is RE49 made from?
RE49 shoes use recycled and recovered materials such as beach umbrella fabric, deckchairs, denim, sails, stock fabric and tyres.