SUELA - Biodegradable School Shoes from Peanut Shell Waste

Universidad de San Andrés

SUELA addresses two interconnected challenges in Córdoba, Argentina: the underutilization of peanut shell waste from the agroindustrial sector and the lack of adequate school footwear among children in vulnerable rural communities. Argentina produces large volumes of peanut shells every year, with limited valorization pathways. At the same time, the lack of proper footwear can become a barrier to school attendance. SUELA belongs to the footwear, biomaterials, agro-waste valorization, and social-impact design value chains, proposing to transform a local residue into biodegradable school footwear for children.

Bioeconomy

Ecodesign

Low-impact Textiles

Artificial Intelligence

Digital Product Passport

Traceability

Circular Business Models

Life-Cycle Thinking

SUELA is a biodegradable children’s school shoe made from a peanut-shell biocomposite. The project revalues an agricultural by-product by transforming it into a functional material for footwear. The upper and heel are made from a flexible biocomposite, while the sole uses a denser and more resistant biocomposite. The design also includes natural cotton thread stitching and a linen inner insole. The production process includes shell collection, grinding, cooking and gelification, molding, assisted drying, cutting, stitching, and manual assembly. In relation to the waste hierarchy, SUELA prioritizes waste prevention and material recovery by avoiding disposal and reducing dependence on synthetic materials. The shoe is designed to be compostable at the end of its use, returning its material to the soil rather than becoming landfill waste. Compared with other sustainable footwear projects, SUELA combines local agro-waste valorization, school access for children, and regional circular production. The project addresses a concrete social need: providing dignified footwear for children in rural communities.

The model is conceived through local partnerships with producers, institutions, technical validators, logistics actors, and educational organizations. The design choice is supported by measurement through simplified or partial indicators. SUELA is currently at the prototype and project-development stage. Its expected first implementation scale is 800 pairs per year, equivalent to approximately 70 pairs per month, aimed at rural students in Córdoba. Full technical validation, durability testing, and life-cycle assessment are planned with specialized institutions such as INTI before implementation.