For the past 18 months we've been developing a new sustainable shoe collection. We've reimagined some of our most popular leather styles to have a minimal carbon footprint.
Starting from the ground up we've developed a new sole using a lightweight bio-based EVA foam. The uppers are knit using plant based yarns. We've added leather accents as an hommage to our dress shoe DNA but we've ensured the hides come from sustainable managed tanneries. Read on to get all the details.
The Sole:
We've opted for a lightweight and flexible foamed EVA which is actually carbon negative! Made from sugar cane (instead of the usual petroleum based ethanol) our new soles actually reduce greenhouse gases by capturing and storing CO2 during production.
The Knit Upper:
For the knit uppers the shoes will feature a melange of Tencel and SeaCell fibres. Both are of renewable plant origin and are produced using a "closed loop" manufacturing process which recycles the water used during production and over 99% of the solvents involved are recovered for future use.
Extracted from sustainably grown forests tencel fibres are known for their tenacity, moisture wicking abilities and gentleness on your skin (important if you go sockless). SeaCell yarns, meanwhile, are harvested from seaweed (which regenerates) and contains antioxidants which protect your skin from harmful free radicals.
Due to their plant origins and sustainable production process both fibres are carbon neutral and completely biodegradable.
Leather Details:
We've used leather accents on our shoes as a reference to our dress shoe DNA. While leather itself is a natural product, the tanning process can have a negative environmental impact. For this reason we've carefully selected a tannery which is dedicated to sustainability and whose leather production has a 52% smaller impact than the industry average.
How They Are Made:
An often overlooked aspect of sustainable products is how they are produced. Often times factory best practices are outdated, inefficient and wasteful which is why we're ecstatic that our new SUSTAINOBLE collection is being produced in one of the world's first solar powered, zero waste factories.
Committed to achieving carbon neutral manufacturing this Smart Factory is powered by renewable solar energy and invests heavily in robotics and smart tech to minimize material waste and energy. In fact, the workshop creates 96% less waste than traditional shoe factories. Moreover, the factory produces shoes on a made-to-order basis to prevent over production.
From start to finish we are proud to offer some of the most environmentally friendly shoes ever produced.
What do you think of our new collection? Leave your thoughts below!
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