The future of footwear isn’t plastic — it’s algae. Ryan Hunt, co-founder of Shloop and BLKSWN Footwear, discusses how his journey to a footwear factory in Meridian, Miss., began with a bioengineering lab. Hunt discusses:

• How algae, once explored for biofuels, became a key ingredient in his companies’ eco-friendly footwear

• The pitfalls of global supply chains

• Why he decided to manufacture in the United States

• What’s coming next for his retail brand as it develops its customer base

Photo courtesy of Shloop