The new status shoe is machine washable, made from recycled water bottles, and costs $145 a pair

Women from the tech offices of Silicon Valley to the streets of New York City have embraced a new status symbol:  $145 shoes that happen to be as cute as they are eco-conscious.

Rothy's, a shoe startup based in San Francisco, turns plastic water bottles into trendy ballet flats. Since its launch in 2016, the company has gained a ravenous following, including venture capitalists and the editors of Vogue. While the shoes aren't the most environmentally-friendly in existence (check out these future Adidas kicks that will be 100% biodegradable), Rothy's has diverted more than five million plastic bottles from landfills since its founding.

We stepped into the Rothy's headquarters to learn how the new status shoe came to be.