TRENDY, & REUSABLE

DANIEL PLUS LAUREN learns a great deal when attending FSNYE twice a year, the June 2025 edit was no different or no less. Inquiring about what’s in style comes easy for DPL, but to learn more about the sourcing and materials involved has become an enriching experience. Learning about the backstory of the producing process along with an after-story of how the shoe continues was one thing you never thought of. Melissa/ Mini Melissa’s “Hello, Kitty” shoes are a big deal in of itself, but the sustainable process was one for astonishment.

Melissa is a shoe brand originating from Brazil that produces shoes made out of 100 percent plastic, creating all types of unthinkable colors and infused sparkles for detail. The eye-opening fact is Melissa’s recycling process, Melissa old lines of shoes are recycled to create new styles of shoes. If you already own a pair of Melissa’s, and they get worn out, old, or broken, you can send them back for a brand-new pair of recycled shoes that were once the older ones you owned. Melissa creates shoes not only for adult women, but for young girls with their Mini Melissa which acts in the same fashion as mother.

Mini Melissa holds licensing agreements with “Hello, Kitty” as the cool Asian culture cartoon cat celebrated its 50th anniversary. Mini Melissa also holds licensing agreements with Walt Disney as “Lilo & Stitch” are offered as a great pair of shoes to buy for your kids. Mini Melissa truly stays on point with trends as it knows what children are into on a regular basis. The mix of pink, blue, purple, and sparkle on these totally sustainable shoe are why Mini Melissa’s are fun to wear.

It’s not very common for a shoe brand like Melissa/ Mini Melissa to produce their entire shoe line out of one sustainable material being plastic. But it does open the door to create styles and designs that no one has seen before. Plus, recycling your older shoe into a new pair of shoes is something very different from other shoe brands. The Brazilian company is on a mission for you to keep Melissa/ Mini Melissa in your daily life cycle, plus start the lifelong commitment with your kids.

DANIEL QUINTANILLA