Production
Three things make a TABI: an upper knitted on Japanese machines, a soft fiber made from wood, and a sole made with algae. Here’s how they come together.
01 · The upper
Japanese 3D knit
Every TABI upper is made on Japanese 3D knitting machines. Instead of cutting panels from a roll of fabric and stitching them together, the machine knits the upper to the shape of the foot – split toe included – so it hugs your foot like a sock and moves with it.
Because each upper is knitted to shape, very little material is cut away and wasted.
02 · The fiber
TENCEL™ Lyocell
Our uppers are knitted from 95% TENCEL™ Lyocell and 5% spandex for stretch. TENCEL™ Lyocell is made by Lenzing in Austria from wood – a renewable raw material.
From the forest. The wood comes from responsibly managed forests, from certified or controlled sources that meet FSC® or PEFC standards.
Made in a closed loop. The wood pulp is dissolved and spun into fibers in a closed-loop process that recovers and reuses more than 99% of the solvent, with close-to-zero waste.
Back to nature. The fibers are certified biodegradable and compostable, and TENCEL™ Lyocell carries the EU Ecolabel for textile products.
Kind to your feet. The fibers are naturally soft and smooth, gentle on skin, and manage moisture to keep your feet feeling cool and dry.
03 · The sole
BLOOM® bio-based EVA
Our outsoles are made with BLOOM® – a bio-based EVA foam made using algae. The algae is harvested from lakes and ponds where it grows out of balance, which helps restore those waters, and then replaces part of the fossil-based material in the foam.
The result is a sole that is lightweight, cushioning and flexible – shaped like a foot, so you feel the ground and move naturally.
04 · Made by hand
From knit to finished pair
Once knitted, each upper is shaped on a last, joined to its sole, then finished and checked by hand before it’s packed.
The result
TABItonomy
Off-white mules
Shop TABICare guideWhy split-toe?
TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG. BLOOM® is a registered trademark of its respective owner.