Rothy's

Rothy's is a San Francisco-based footwear and accessories company co-founded by Stephen Hawthornthwaite, formerly of the finance world, and Roth Martin, who came from art and interior design. The company was established in 2012 and spent several years developing its manufacturing process before launching its debut product, The Flat, in 2016. Rothy's signature technique is 3D knitting: shoes and bags are knitted directly to shape from thread spun from plastic, rather than being cut and stitched from fabric panels, which the company says reduces material waste compared with conventional shoemaking. The original yarn was made from recycled plastic water bottles; the company later incorporated recycled ocean-bound marine plastic into some styles as well. Shoes are also designed to be machine washable, a point of differentiation the brand built its early word-of-mouth reputation on, particularly among commuters and new parents. The company became a Certified B Corporation in 2020, and in 2021 said it had reached carbon neutrality and launched a shoe-recycling take-back program. Beyond footwear, Rothy's has expanded into handbags and a men's line. In 2021, Alpargatas (owner of Havaianas) took a stake in the company at a reported $1 billion valuation.