SEADS
SEADS is a German footwear company that designs and sells espadrille-style sneakers made from upcycled ocean plastic via direct-to-consumer e-commerce to consumers in more than 40 countries; the holding entity is in liquidation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersEssen, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SEADS does
SEADS is a German footwear company that designs and sells espadrille-style sneakers manufactured from upcycled ocean plastic. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Essen, Germany, the company operates exclusively through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model and ships to more than 40 countries. The legal entity is registered as Seads Holding GmbH i.L., where the "i.L." designation denotes "in Liquidation" under German commercial law, indicating the holding entity has entered dissolution proceedings.
The product line consists of three SKU variants — SEADS 001, 002, and 003 — positioned as lightweight espadrille-construction sneakers built from recycled marine plastics. Per-pair pricing is set at €89–€129, placing the catalog in the premium sustainable footwear segment. Material inputs are validated through third-party certifications including SEAQUAL, OEKO-TEX, and the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), with reusable shipping packaging provided by RePack and last-mile logistics handled by DPD.
The company is led by Agnes Wagter as founder and CEO and operates with a team of 1–10 employees. Operational and supply-chain partnerships include the SEAQUAL INITIATIVE for plastic sourcing, Iteratif for creative or production support, and Shopify as the underlying e-commerce platform. No external funding rounds have been disclosed, and the brand's website currently frames the offering as a "last limited collection" with "final sizes."
SEADS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SEADS
- Legal name
- Seads Holding GmbH i.L.
- Website
- https://seads.global
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SEADS is a German footwear company that designs and sells espadrille-style sneakers made from upcycled ocean plastic via direct-to-consumer e-commerce to consumers in more than 40 countries; the holding entity is in liquidation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SEADS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Footwear
- NAICS
- Footwear Manufacturing (3162), Footwear Manufacturing (31621)
- SIC
- Rubber & Plastics Footwear (3021), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine Apparel & Footwear Retail (Wetsuits, Rash Guards, Deck Shoes) (CRAMAIAJ)
Keywords
Where SEADS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Essen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
SEADS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Footwear Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sale of sneaker-espadrille hybrid shoes made from upcycled ocean plastic. One-time product purchases at €89 per pair (sale price) or €129 (original price). Products are unisex and available in EU sizes 36-46 across three models (SEADS 001, 002, 003) in 12 color options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SEADS 001, 002, 003 - Standard Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
SEADS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SEADS designs and sells sneaker-espadrille hybrid footwear (three styles: SEADS 001, 002, 003) made from upcycled marine plastic and post-consumer packaging waste using SEAQUAL YARN, with jute footbeds and natural rubber soles. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through seads.global at €89 sale / €129 list per pair in 12 colors and EU unisex sizes 36-46. The company operates a circular take-back model in which worn shoes are returned and upcycled into new raw materials.
Product overview
SEADS is a sustainable footwear company offering three sneaker-espadrille styles (SEADS 001, 002, and 003) made from upcycled marine plastic and post-consumer packaging waste. All three products share a common construction using SEAQUAL® YARN (containing 10% Upcycled Marine Plastic), jute footbeds, and natural rubber soles in the signature 'Living Coral' color. The three styles differ in silhouette: SEADS 001 is a modern classic slip-on, SEADS 002 adds lace-up sneaker DNA, and SEADS 003 offers a mid-top sock-sneaker profile. The products are unisex, available in up to 12 colors, and designed for full circularity with end-of-life upcycling through their partner Iteratif.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SEADS 001 - Modern Classic Classic espadrilles with sneaker-inspired knit uppers and an easy slip-on design, featuring a soft jute footbed and Living Coral natural rubber sole. Intended for beach sessions, café meetups, and city walks. Sold in 12 colors and unisex EU sizes 36–46 at €89 sale / €129 list.
- SEADS 002 - Low-Top Hybrid Low-top sneaker-espadrille hybrid combining casual and active aesthetics, with 4% rubber string for a snug fit, knit upper, jute footbed, and Living Coral sole. Designed for beach, café, and city exploration.
- SEADS 003 - Mid-Top Comfort Mid-top sock-sneaker espadrille hybrid offering urban style with effortless comfort and a snug fit, suited for active weekdays and weekend adventures, especially for wider feet or higher insteps.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40% less water waste, 50% less energy consumption, 60% less carbon emissions compared to virgin polyester production
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SEADS
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
SEADS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature4 records
SEADS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SEAQUAL INITIATIVEcoreGlobal collaboration uniting NGOs, local communities, fishermen, research institutes, and authorities in the fight against plastic pollution. Provides SEADS with SEAQUAL® YARN containing Upcycled Marine Plastic. Works with cleanup efforts to create value from recovered plastic by partnering with waste management and recycling industries to transform marine litter into upcycled materials.
- RePackcoreSustainable packaging partner that replaces single-use packaging with durable bags reusable up to 50 times while eliminating disposable materials such as bubble wrap, plastic, and cardboard. RePack bags are made from recycled polypropylene and can be 100% recycled at end of life. Using RePack reduces packaging materials by up to 96% and CO2 emissions by up to 80%.
- IteratifcoreEurope's first completely circular shoe manufacturing platform. Working with designers, manufacturers, material suppliers, and recycling partners, Iteratif ensures used Seads espadrilles are given new life and never end up polluting the environment through end-of-life upcycling.
- DPD Germany GmbHminorShipping service provider used for delivery of orders to customers in Germany.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
SEADS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ethletic: German fair-trade and sustainable sneaker brand selling certified eco footwear. Direct geographic competitor and category analogue to SEADS within the German-speaking sustainable sneaker market.
- Native Shoes: Canadian sustainable footwear brand with the 'Plant Shoe' and 'ReRun' take-back program. Similar lightweight, casual silhouette and DTC circular-sustainability narrative to SEADS.
- Allbirds: US-NZ sustainable footwear brand built around natural/recycled materials with a strong circularity and carbon-footprint story. Comparable to SEADS in DTC-first model, sustainability messaging, and premium eco-sneaker positioning.
- Veja: French DTC sneaker brand using recycled and bio-based materials (including recycled plastic) and fair-trade supply chains. Most direct comparable to SEADS as a sustainability-positioned sneaker brand selling at a similar premium price point globally.
- Rothy's: US DTC footwear brand using recycled plastic bottles (rPET) yarn to make shoes. Builds a core proposition around turning ocean/bottle plastic into comfortable everyday footwear, mirroring SEADS' recycled-materials DTC story.
- Saola: French sustainable sneaker brand using recycled plastics, natural fibers, and eco-friendly materials. Comparable to SEADS as a smaller European sustainable-sneaker DTC brand with a similar price band.
- Thousand Fell: US sneaker brand with explicit closed-loop take-back and recycling program for worn shoes. Closest analog to SEADS in combining recycled materials with a wearable return-and-upcycle model.
Broad incumbents
- TOMS: Established DTC footwear brand with a strong social-impact and sustainability positioning. Comparable to SEADS in mission-driven DTC model and casual footwear orientation, though operates at far larger scale.
Emerging players
- Nothing New: US sneaker brand made from recycled materials and presented as a sustainable alternative to mainstream sneakers. Comparable to SEADS in emphasizing recycled content and circularity as core brand DNA.
Others
- Adidas by Stella McCartney: Collaboration between a global incumbent and a sustainability-led designer producing sneakers made with recycled materials (e.g., Parley ocean plastic). Comparable to SEADS as a public reference point for ocean-plastic sneaker product and a potential partnership/licensing counterpart.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SEADS social profiles
Digital presenceSEADS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
SEADS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SEADS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SEADS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SEADS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SEADS
What does SEADS do?
SEADS designs and sells sneaker-espadrille hybrid footwear (three styles: SEADS 001, 002, 003) made from upcycled marine plastic and post-consumer packaging waste using SEAQUAL YARN, with jute footbeds and natural rubber soles. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through seads.global at €89 sale / €129 list per pair in 12 colors and EU unisex sizes 36-46. The company operates a circular take-back model in which worn shoes are returned and upcycled into new raw materials.
Is SEADS a public or private company?
SEADS is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SEADS founded?
SEADS was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SEADS based?
SEADS is headquartered in Essen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does SEADS make money?
One revenue line is on record: footwear Product Sales.
Who are SEADS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ethletic, Native Shoes, Allbirds, Veja, Rothy's, Saola and Thousand Fell. TOMS is listed as a broad incumbent. Nothing New is listed as an emerging player. Adidas by Stella McCartney is listed as an others.
Does SEADS have an API?
No public API is recorded for SEADS.
What industry is SEADS in?
SEADS's product category is Sustainable Footwear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAJ, Marine Apparel & Footwear Retail (Wetsuits, Rash Guards, Deck Shoes). Its NAICS code is 3162 and its SIC code is 3021.