As one of the leading creative minds behind your favorite National Geographic apparel, Javier Garcia, Senior Manager of Product Design for Disney Consumer Products, has a talent for telling stories of nature through fashion. His most recent collaboration is a line of breathtaking sneakers inspired by the rich and mysterious foliage found in the jungle, developed by Brazilian B Corporation sneaker brand Cariuma.
“We always work to create collections or collaborations that feel organic to both brands,” Javier said, adding that the collection was designed to represent “the story and voice of Cariuma through National Geographic’s excellent visual lens of nature.”
Capturing the Beauty of Brazil’s Mystical Foliage
Building off the sneaker brand’s Brazilian roots, the visual exploration for the entire collection was guided by the natural beauty of the Amazon, including plants such as the peace lily. In contrast to the first collaboration with Cariuma, which featured various animal species, the aesthetic is more abstract and artsy.
“There’s so much more beauty in nature that doesn’t get seen every day,” Javier shared.
While many have a preconceived notion of what foliage looks like, the collection explores it in a fresh, new way with fun colors like bright purples and deep blues. By showcasing the beauty of nature, Javier hopes to send a message that the environment needs to be protected.
Mindfully Designed with More Sustainable Elements
Cariuma is known for its commitment to more sustainable fashion. The sneakers are made with materials such as organic cotton and natural rubber, and are 100% vegan.
“Apparel conveys so much about everyone—yourself and what you’re about. It happens whether you’re conscious of it or not,” Javier reflected. “There’s so much great apparel in the world that drops daily, but I think just given where we are ecologically at the moment, it’s definitely our responsibility to style ourselves while thinking about sustainable options.”
A collection with purpose, every purchase from the National Geographic line helps support the global nonprofit National Geographic Society in its work to protect and illuminate our world through exploration, research, and education. To learn more, visit NatGeo.com/info.
In addition, Cariuma is proud of its reforestation program, which plants two trees in the Brazilian rainforest for every pair of sneakers sold, and has planted 2 million trees so far.
Javier noted the sustainability and social impact elements made this project even more rewarding for him and hinted that his team has other great collaborations on the horizon.
“We only get one shot at protecting our planet, so it’s our responsibility to clothe ourselves a little more responsibly,” he said.