Discover Plasticana, the French brand of shoes and clogs made from hemp-based plastic. The Gardana, Opana and Gardenia styles are available online and in-store.
Some brands look like nothing else because they never tried to look like anything. Plasticana is one of them. Founded in 1998 by André Ravachol, environmental poet and inventor of "hemp plastic", the French brand was born from an intuition as simple as it is radical: replacing part of the petroleum in plastic with renewable carbon derived from photosynthesis, that of hemp grown in France. This is not a marketing argument, it is a physical process of which every pair of shoes is tangible proof. Explore the Plasticana selection at Centre Commercial →
Plasticana, from hemp fields to city streets
The story of Plasticana begins in the 1990s, when André Ravachol turned his attention to hemp fibre as an alternative to petroleum-based materials. Hemp, cultivated in France for centuries, possesses a remarkable property: in four months of growth, it captures more CO2 than a temperate forest does in twelve months. Ravachol understood that this fibre, blended with virgin recyclable plastic, could become a new material, at once resistant, waterproof and carrying a concrete ecological meaning. In 1998, Plasticana was founded. The first hemp soles were produced, followed in 2004 by the Surfana surf shoe, then in 2009 by the garden range that would bring the brand worldwide recognition.
Plasticana shoes are designed in France and manufactured in Morocco. Every pair is 100% recyclable, with no added dye. The characteristic caramel hue of Plasticana is not the result of colouring: it comes from the natural caramelisation of sugars contained in the hemp fibres during the moulding process. It is what Ravachol calls a "natural miracle", and it is what makes each pair visually unique, with its speckles and tonal variations inherent to living material.
Plasticana has never invested in advertising. The brand was built through word of mouth, concept stores and independent press. It was in 2020, when American designer Emily Bode chose to outfit her men's runway show in Paris with Plasticana models, that the brand entered the international fashion radar. Since then, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, The Strategist, Marie Claire and Highsnobiety have selected it repeatedly. The Gardana clog became a viral phenomenon in Brooklyn, adopted by menswear enthusiasts as an elegant piece of transgression, worn with pleated trousers as readily as with raw denim. JJJJound, the cult minimalist design platform, recently collaborated with the brand, confirming its status as a quiet icon.
The Gardana Clog, Plasticana's signature piece
If Plasticana were to be reduced to a single piece, this would be it. The Gardana clog was born in 2009 as a gardening tool, with its non-slip treaded sole and its enveloping hemp plastic upper. Waterproof, lightweight, resistant, it was designed for hands in the soil and feet in the mud. What no one had anticipated is that it would become one of the most coveted shoes of the moment, worn in the streets of New York as readily as in concept stores in Seoul, Tokyo and London. Its natural caramel colour, its hemp speckles visible to the naked eye and its forthright silhouette give it a presence that conventional clogs simply do not have. The Gardana doesn't try to please, it imposes itself.
The open-top version of the clog, with a cut-out on the upper foot. Available in black and dark green, the Gardenia offers a lighter alternative for warm days, while retaining the treaded sole and recyclable plastic construction.
The open-back mule, the most relaxed of the range. Named by GQ among the best mules for men, the Opana slips on like a slipper and transitions from garden to pavement without missing a beat.
How do Plasticana fit?
It's the question everyone asks, and the answer is straightforward: Plasticana run large. We recommend going one size, or even one and a half sizes down from your usual size. The Gardana clog, for example, is available at Centre Commercial from 35/36 to 45/46 and its cut is deliberately generous. If you're between two sizes, take the smaller one. Barefoot, the clog should wrap around the foot without squeezing, with a slight gap at the front. With socks, your usual European size may work. When in doubt, the safest option is to visit us in store and try them on.
How to care for your Plasticana?
The hemp and recycled PVC blend is a resilient material that requires very little upkeep. For everyday cleaning, a simple wipe with a soft cloth and clear water will do. To nourish the material and preserve its lustre over time, Plasticana recommends a regular application of linseed oil, which penetrates the hemp fibres and protects the surface without altering the natural hue. For storage, keep them in a dry, ventilated spot, away from direct sunlight, ideally in a cardboard box or cloth bag. And should your Plasticana ever reach the end of their life, remember that they are infinitely recyclable, which is an integral part of the brand's approach.
Why Plasticana at Centre Commercial?
Born from the vision of VEJA, Centre Commercial naturally shares the same convictions as Plasticana: the conviction that an object can be beautiful, useful and meaningful all at once. Plasticana doesn't do fashion, Plasticana makes shoes that store carbon. It is as simple and as radical as that. In a landscape saturated with sustainability rhetoric, André Ravachol's brand has the rare merit of offering a material that literally captures CO2, that requires no dye and that is fully recyclable at end of life. This is exactly the kind of approach that Centre Commercial seeks to champion: concrete, traceable, and driven by a long-term vision rather than a seasonal trend.
La sélection Plasticana est disponible en ligne sur centrecommercial.cc, ainsi que dans notre boutique du 2, rue de Marseille, Paris 10ème, où vous pouvez les essayer et repartir avec la paire qui vous convient.
