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Berlin Students Design Limited Edition Sneaker

Limited Edition

A “Limited Edition” of Ethletic trainers, designed by students from Berlin and Lahore – this project is now entering its critical phase. YOU will decide which designs we will be producing in a small series.

You might remember how we told you about this project a couple of months back. Well, now its time has come! This unique project offers insights into the design process of the students involved in two different cities and countries and into how the whole design and production procedure works for a company with ties to both countries.

Last year students from Lahore, Pakistan and Berlin, Germany worked collaboratively on their semester exam projects and gained first-hand experience of the inner workings at Ethletic. The students used a closed Facebook group to exchange information about their own inspirations and progress, and to share pictures from each of the different locations involved.

Rohma Kahn and Imam Sheik teach in Pakistan at the Beaconhouse University Lahore’s Textiles, Accessories and Fashion Design Department. They and their students joined Johanna for a field trip to an Ethletic factory and an eye-opening tour guided by the veteran Production Manager, Zulfiqar Ali. Soon we will also present their work and designs for you as well.

voting starts now for the Berlin class

Back in Berlin Johanna visited the fashion class taught by Bianca Koczan and Dunja Kopi at the HTW Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW) for a discussion of the benefits of sustainable approaches, as well as their limitations. Part of the semester exam project for the Berlin class is called “Talkshow Talk”. This involves the students applying different approaches to the issue of sustainability. Each of them came up with an all-over pattern design draft for an Ethletic sneaker as a souvenir and memento of their semester exam project.

The resulting designs are wonderfully diverse and inspiring! Please visit us on Facebook and “Like” your favorite designs. The campaign runs from Wednesday, March 29th through Wednesday, April 5th, 2017, and we will produce a Limited Edition sneaker run of 100 pairs featuring the design with the most “Likes”.

Vote now! We’re counting on you!


1 – Frederike Anabel Fiebelkorn

I am experimenting with many different techniques to give every garment its own soul and unique value to create a strong emotional relation between consumer and the garment.

2 – Helena Baden

People are as different as their characters and needs. I’d like to establish an idea which unifies these different kinds of characters by upcycling/recycling odd and old second hand textiles to new modern garment.

3 – Katarina-Kalaoja

Sustainability starts from the small things: that’s why my project will be kid’s clothes out of bamboo viscose and to research how sustainable this farbic really is.

4 & 5 – Melina Wille und Sara Husein


Anatomy Of A Plastic Bag – Overproduction, Fragility, Craftmanship, Synthetic vs. Nature, Plastic Waste, Preservation, Impact, Pollution, Heritage.

6 – Philipp Brunner

I would like to make a mark for sustainability with my collection and show people how easy it is to upgrade and upcycle their old clothes.

7 – Sina Schmidt

Planet Earth should keep its beauty. This is why sustainability is so important. The fashion industry needs to change as well as the people who buy clothes. I want to create value in fashion. Fashion which has less impact on the environment, and still is fun and an inspiration.

8 – Marcela Ehrbeck

In contrast to downcycling, upcycling is a material revaluation. In the winter months, it is an abundance of umbrellas to take advantage of. I took that and made a collection out of unneeded umbrellas, upcycling the entire object.

Vote here: Facebook-Page
The Winner is: tba
Text: Johanna Balzer
Translation: John Jeffrey Collier
Pictures: Students + Johanna