Leonardo DiCaprio apparently needs to tread more carefully after investing in a vegan sneaker brand, which has reported huge losses.
The 49-year-old Hollywood movie star and environmental activist is said to have a personal fortune of £230million and used part of that staggering fortune to invest in Wild Loci.
The British brand makes vegan sneakers from recycled bamboo, foam and rubber, and also recycles 20 plastic bottles in every pair it makes.
The range of trainers comes in both men’s and women’s designs and sizes and retails between £120 and £170.
However, Leonardo may be more reluctant to invest more of its hard-earned cash as recently reported accounts show the company has made significant losses.
Leonardo DiCaprio appears to have made a mistake by investing in a vegan sneaker brand, which has reported huge losses (pictured in May last year)
The Hollywood movie star and environmental activist, 49, is said to have a personal fortune of £230m and used part of that staggering fortune to invest in Wild Loci (pictured at the UN in 2016)
The British label makes vegan trainers from recycled bamboo, foam and rubber, and also recycles 20 plastic bottles in every pair it makes, and they retail for between £120 and £170.
According to filings at Companies House, Wild Loci Ltd made a loss of £2,700,454 in April 2023.
While documents show the brand reported a loss of £966,809 the previous year.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Leonardo DiCaprio and Wild Loci Ltd for comment.
Wild Loci was founded in 2021 by a quartet of Londoners including Emmanuel Eribo, and a host of investors including Leo have pumped £3m into the company over the past 12 months.
Her footwear has been seen on the feet of numerous A-list names including actress Lily James and Princess Eugenie.
The brand also recently collaborated with rapper Nicki Minaj, who designed a collection that “combines urban aesthetics with haute couture elegance.”
Speaking about the collaboration, Nicki said: “I wanted to make sure that the culture I grew up with, that of never giving up, was reflected in my collection. It’s more than just fashion; it’s a lifestyle.
“I will never release a single pair that I don’t wear. My fans know that. It will always be ‘Nicki approved.'”
However, Leonardo may have to tread carefully in investing more of its hard-earned cash, as recently reported accounts show the company has made significant losses (pictured from January).
According to filings at Companies House, Wild Loci Ltd made a loss of £2,700,454 in April 2023 and reported a loss of £966,809 the previous year.
In July last year, Emmanuel told the Mail’s Richard Eden of Leonardo’s investment: “Leonardo DiCaprio is one of our investors. He’s an absolute star and sees the world the same way we do.”
“It’s been an absolute blessing to have him on the team. You can’t ignore that it’s a British brand and he’s pushing for it.
“He didn’t need to do this. There’s definitely something there that pulls him.”
She was full of praise: “If I could say things about Leo, I would probably use two words: genuine and kind. You can care about the world and still want good things.”
Leo himself said: “I am proud to be an investor in LØCI, a brand dedicated to minimising its environmental impact and focused on creating ethical, cruelty-free footwear.”
Leonardo has long been an outspoken advocate for environmental issues, calling climate change “the most urgent threat facing our entire species.”
The Oscar winner founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998, at the age of 24, with the mission of bringing attention and funding to the protection of biodiversity, ocean and forest conservation, and climate change.
The actor also serves on the board of directors of several environmental protection organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Pristine Seas and Oceans 5.
Wild Loci was founded in 2021 by a quartet of Londoners including Emmanuel Eribo (pictured), and its footwear has been seen on the feet of the likes of Lily James and Princess Eugenie.
The brand also recently collaborated with rapper Nicki Minaj (pictured in March), who designed a collection that “blends streetwear aesthetics with haute couture elegance.”
He is also said to have channelled £75m of his vast wealth into a global conservation project to protect endangered species and land from property developers.
Leo has been awarded the Clinton Global Citizen Award for his philanthropic work and is a United Nations Messenger of Peace on climate change.
But in recent years he has come under fire and been accused of exhibiting ecological hypocrisy with his lavish lifestyle.
In addition to his numerous homes and his penchant for hosting parties on luxury yachts, he has been particularly criticized for his use of fuel-guzzling private jets for long trips in short periods of time.
In 2016, Leo was ridiculed for taking an 8,000-mile trip on a private jet from Europe to New York City to accept an award for his environmental activism.
Carbon emissions from private jets vary, but by some estimates they are more than 37 times higher than those from commercial flights.
After causing a wave of controversy with his trip, the Titanic star seemed willing to make amends in 2021: he flew commercially to Glasgow for the COP26 environmental summit.
But last year he appeared to be back on track and was once again accused of applying double standards when calling on people to fight climate change.
In March, Leo attended the Green Carpet Fashion Award alongside sustainable fashion and activism leaders in Los Angeles.
But his appearance came after he had flown more than 12,000 air miles in two weeks while enjoying nights out with numerous models and flying between the United States and cities such as London, Milan and Paris.
Leonardo has long been an outspoken advocate of environmental issues, but in recent years he has come under fire, being accused of exhibiting ecological hypocrisy with his lavish lifestyle, numerous homes and yachts and private jets (pictured in 2016).
In March, Leo attended the Green Carpet Fashion Award alongside sustainable fashion and activism leaders in Los Angeles (pictured at the event with Sonia Guajajara)
But his appearance came after he had flown more than 12,000 air miles in two weeks while enjoying nights out with numerous models and flying between the United States and cities such as London, Milan and Paris.