Cacti grown in the land of Mexico and blessed with nature's bounty for your feet
The MEXICO 66™ shoe model has been loved around the world for over half a century and is synonymous with the Onitsuka Tiger brand.
Now the MEXICO 66™ CACTFUL™, which features a production process that targets reducing environmental impact, using a material derived from the Mexican cactus for the first time, while retaining the iconic design elements of the MEXICO 66™ sneaker.
The MEXICO 66™ CACTFUL™ uses a material derived from Mexican cactus more than 20% in the upper, which has co-developed by DESSERTO engineers and Onitsuka Tiger to meet the Onitsuka Tiger’s standards.
Developed by Adrian and Marte in Mexico, DESSERTO does not use phthalates or PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which are harmful chemicals, and consumes less water, so it has begun to attract worldwide attention as an environmentally friendly bio-material. It is highly durable with a supple texture. This time, Onitsuka Tiger has worked with the engineers of DESSERTO to improve the quality of this cactus-derived material and developed a new material that meets Onitsuka Tiger's strict standards and is both environmentally friendly and durable.
Compared to conventional genuine leather, the material used in the MEXICO 66™ CACTFUL™ reduces CO2 emissions in the manufacturing process by approximately 84.8%. In addition, efforts are being made to use leftover cactus from production for food purposes at the food industry. In addition to the main upper portion of the shoe, other parts such as the sockliner and shoelaces are also made of recycled materials.
The MEXICO 66™ CACTFUL™ is available in colors specially created for Onitsuka Tiger to enhance the soft texture characteristic of the cactus-derived material. The bold yet elegant pastel color palette, which is difficult to reproduce in real leather, has an imposing presence along with the suppleness and strength of the cactus. In order to maximize another strength of this material - how lightweight it is - we have also paid particular attention to the design of the midsole in pursuit of a comfortable fit.
MOVIE
The design of MEXICO 66™ has its roots set in the shoes worn by Japanese athletes at the 1968 Mexico Games. The new product uses an innovative material derived from cactus, which grows in the land of Mexico, one of the countries that inspired the birth of the Onitsuka Tiger's iconic model, and is richly endowed with the blessings of nature.
While keeping the iconic design elements of the original MEXICO 66™, five colors are available to enhance the soft texture that is characteristic of this material, which is difficult to express in real leather. Another feature of this cactus-derived material is that it is lightweight, which is utilized in the shoe design, as well as containing a proportion of recycled materials in the shoelaces and other parts.