The Cole Haan x Pendleton Collab Just Dropped — One Shoe is Made From Dandelions

Two American giants have joined forces to bring us a collection of shoes and accessories that converges Northeastern and Northwestern coastal culture. Cole Haan and Pendleton, tracing their roots to Maine and Oregon, respectively, have launched a seven-piece collection for men and women (with an eighth coming soon) that features iconic fabric and renowned ingenuity in footwear from both names. 

This might be the coolest thing we’ve seen from Cole Haan recently.

The Cole Haan x Pendleton collab men’s collection includes a lug-sole kiltie chukka boot, a lug-sole penny loafer, the ever-famous OriginalGrand wingtip, and a handsome tote bag. Each product combines fabric from Pendleton’s iconic woolen Acadia National Park Blanket with Cole Haan’s signature leather. For such legacy brands with equally recognized craftsmanship, the right phrase to describe this collaboration is “rugged gentleman.”

This partnership comes with a larger message, however. With this launch, Cole Haan and Pendleton are amplifying their commitment to doing business with an eco-conscious mindset. Cole Haan is currently a member of the Leather Working Group, a not-for-profit group whose goal is to create change across the global leather supply chain. The leather in this collection was sourced from a medal-rated tannery and the OriginalGrand shoes, which we’re wearing today, have the patented FlowerFoam soles that feature 25% dandelion rubber. 

Pendleton’s wool fabric is biodegradable, renewable, and woven in Washington. Pendleton is also a longstanding partner of the National Parks Foundation, to which Cole Haan is now contributing.

SPY was lucky enough to receive two styles from this lineup for testing and review. Here’s how it went. 

The Cole Haan x Pendleton American Classics Chukka Boot is a mixed-media moc toe chukka made with brown pebbled leather and an oiled suede interwoven with Pendleton’s Acadia-pattern wool. The insole and outsole are EVA for comfort with a lug tread for traction, all secured by a storm bead welt.

These chukkas are a great boot option to rock and are sure to bring in compliments. A truly unique weave, literally, of leather and wool, these boots are incredibly lightweight but offer decent traction with the textured lug sole. We like that the kiltie is removable, but we loved it on there because it’s not overwhelming. We also really enjoyed the finer details, like the cut leather laces, leather pull-string on the loop, and the Pendleton tab logo on the outside. 

The Cole Haan x Pendleton OriginalGrand Longwing Oxford is in the top three best versions of this dress sneaker we’ve seen in a decade (dating back to the LunarGrand). This classic Cole Haan silhouette features an inlay of Pendleton’s woolen Acadia print amidst the longwing style you know and love. Made with oiled suede, EVA insoles, the new FlowerFoam dandelion rubber sole, and a storm bead welt, this will surely become a new office staple. 

We’re huge fans of Cole Haan’s Grand collection and this shoe, after seeing it up close, is probably one of the coolest we’ve ever worn. It’s the same familiar fit and comfort level you know in the OriginalGrand, but the addition of Pendleton’s wool gives it that extra something so many shoe designs lack that make you feel like you’re wearing something truly special. We’re big fans of the brown suede and black sole combination — something more men need to be doing. The big win here is the colorful Pendleton Acadia plaid as it breaks up the monotony of plain colors and allows you to make the shoes the outfit’s accent piece.