Orba is a footwear company on a mission to eliminate plastic waste by designing plant-based sneakers. Every material is carefully selected for its natural origin and end-of-life impact. The result is a thoughtfully designed product made from nature, offering consumers a stylish alternative to petroleum-based shoes.
Opportunity
I led the end-to-end development of Orba’s first product, a plant-based sneaker designed from the ground up. Over an 18-month R&D period, I guided a multidisciplinary team of designers, material experts and production partners to turn a radical concept into a viable, award-winning product.
Project management was at the core of this work, ensuring smooth coordination across disciplines while navigating the unique constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. From prototyping through to tooling, pattern making and packaging, we built out the entire supply chain, sourcing sustainable materials, developing custom components and establishing manufacturing pipelines across multiple countries.
A science-backed approach underpinned every design and material choice, helping the product stand apart from greenwashed competitors. Every input was researched and tested to ensure it aligned with the shoe’s end-of-life goals without compromising performance or aesthetics.
Outcome
Delivered a globally unique plant-based sneaker using patent-pending material science that generated six-figure revenues in its first year, alongside over 500 five-star reviews in a New Zealand-only test market.
This product has laid the foundation for Orba to grow into an exciting company with a loyal customer base and a product that people genuinely love. With materials designed to solve real environmental problems, the brand is now positioned to scale sustainably and meaningfully.
Curious how this first sneaker measured up? Check out this video from Business Insider.
Want to see the process, outcomes, or the full story? Get in touch and I’ll walk you through it.