Lou Moria uses vacuum forming to create recyclable shoes in seconds
Israeli designer Lou Moria has used a vacuum-forming process to create pairs of plastic slippers that can be produced quickly and cheaply (+ slideshow).
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_5.jpg)
Lou Moria designed a pair of shoes that could be created from a single piece of recyclable rubbery plastic in response to research on cheap shoes, which often comprise many different materials and are assembled as part of a long process.
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_8.jpg)
"In this model I tried to think about shoe manufacture and marketing in a different way," said Moria. "This shoe may not last long – but so is the cheap one we can find in the market today – but it's being made in a few seconds from one material and technology and can easily be recycled as one piece."
The designer creates the shoes using vacuum forming technology. A plastic sheet is heated until it is soft and draped over a mould inside the forming machine.
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_6.jpg)
A vacuum is used to suck the plastic into the shape of the mould, then the mould is removed after the plastic has cooled and firmed.
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_0.jpg)
Once the shoes are shaped, the excess material around the sole needs to be cut away and the top has to be chopped off so the foot can slip inside.
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_4.jpg)
"The shoe is also its own packaging and by opening it the user prepares it for use," said Moria.
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_3.jpg)
Waste pieces of the material can be recycled and used to create more shoes, which are available in any colour.
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_2.jpg)
A small hole formed at the top of the sole is included so the footwear can be hung up on shop displays.
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_1.jpg)
The design is the fourth model in Moria's Last 21986 project, which focusses on alternative footwear production and user interaction.
![Last No 21986 Model 1 shoe by Lou Moria](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/LAST_NO.21986_Model_1_shoe_by_Lou_Moria_dezeen_468_7.jpg)
Model 1 in the series is a pair made from multiple canvas layers that can be cut away when the shoe gets dirty or torn.