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The investment is part of DiCaprio’s efforts to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis
Leonardo DiCaprio has added another vegan brand to his investment portfolio. This time he has backed Løci – a British footwear label known for its understated vegan sneakers.
The Academy Award-winning environmentalist’s backing is part of a £4 million seed round that will “enable the young, creative label to amplify its mission to a wider global audience, driving awareness and shining a light on the causes that matter while LØCI continues to make waves in the fashion industry.”
“I am proud to be an investor in Løci, a brand dedicated to minimizing its environmental impact, and centered around creating cruelty-free, ethical footwear,” DiCaprio said.
What does LØCI stand for?
LØCI, which means “center” in Latin was founded in 2021 by entrepreneurs Emmanuel Eribo, Frank Eribo, Philippe Homsy and Mark Quaradeghini. The businessmen are also behind the women’s vegan leather shoe brand Butterfly Twists.
LØCI’s vegan sneakers are immensely popular among celebrities with the likes of Jessica Alba, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis, Eva Longoria, Nikki Reed , and Olivia Wilde all wearing its minimalist-chic designs.
The brand uses the equivalent of 20 ocean- and landfill-bound plastic bottles for the upper, cork for the insoles, bamboo and recycled nylon for the lining, recycled brass for the eyelets and natural rubber for the soles.
According to LØCI, it has saved more than 982,000 plastic bottles from going to landfill sites.
Furthermore, the shoes are handcrafted in Portugal- a destination renowned for its high-quality craftsmanship and sustainable practices. The shoes are produced only in monthly cycles to minimize waste and reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing.
“For most consumer brands today, success is measured by sales and popularity. At Løci, we believe that there is a third pillar that is just as important as these two, impact. The greater the impact, the more successful we are,” CEO Emmanuel Eribo said in a statement.
“Today, it’s essential we do more than just make a fantastic product. We are here to change things. That’s why it’s always important for us to think differently, to swim against the tide.”
DiCaprio’s investments
Løci isn’t DiCaprio’s first fashion investment. Earlier this year, the 47-year-old actor backed lab-grown leather startup VitroLabs. He is also an investor of sustainable shoe brand Allbirds.
Apart from fashion, DiCaprio’s portfolio features cultivated meat and seafood companies Mosa Meat, Aleph Farms and Wildtype among others.
In April, he invested in Neat Burger, a vegan fast-food chain co-founded by Formula One star Lewis Hamilton and has also backed Beyond Meat, HIPPEAS, and Califia Farms in the past.
According to DiCaprio, investing in plant-based meat brands is “one of the key ways we can make a real difference in reducing global emissions.”
Last year he shared a picture from Beyond Meat on Twitter,which read: “If every person in the US replaced just one beef burger per week with a plant-based Beyond Burger. It would be the equivalent of taking 12 million cars off the road.”
He wrote: “Every single person can help the planet and reduce climate change with one small choice every week.”
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