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