Reducing Your Carbon Footprint – Eco and Ethical Footwear
The useful life of footwear is relatively short, shorter still when one considers rapid market changes and consumer fashion trends. Footwear is also hugely in demand. From 1990 to 2004, worldwide footwear production has increased by 70 percent to around 17 billion pairs of shoes. By 2010 experts in the sector expect the global footwear output to reach 20 billion pairs (Theodoros Staikos, Richard Heath, Barry Haworth, Shahin Rahimiford). What does this mean? -Waste.
Furthermore, conventional footwear production utilises and produces harmful chemicals mostly at the suppliers level with semi-finished products such as leather, where chromium is used as a tanning agent. This chemical is highly toxic and a suspected carcinogen. Polyeurethane is known to produce CFCs, rubber: rubber fumes, and solvents and other volatile organic compounds used in the production of synthetic upper materials, as well as leather finishing, adhesives and cleaners contribute to the formation of ground level ozone, an air pollutant that is particularly hazardous to the health of both humans and plant life.
The need for footwear, particularly in the developed world, can be both wasteful and hazardous to the health of humans and the environment. Over the years, prominent footwear companies also have been heavily criticised for their use of sweatshop labour, where low skilled workers and the disadvantaged were, and still are, exploited in the form of unfair conditions of labour.
With the current climate: a green awareness, consumers are looking for ethical options, and the giants of the footwear industry are responding. Nike has unleashed a sustainable footwear line, Conside
red, a considerable re-branding of a company that was once the target of anti-sweatshop boycotts. Nike’s environmental/design report claims that “[B]y 2010, all Nike footwear will meet or exceed baseline standards set in our sustainability index. By 2015, we’ll include all apparell. By 2020, Nike equipment.”
Nike is also keen to distance itself from sticky human-rights issues of the past. The report on workers and factories presents a neatly worded statement, that [B]y 2011, we aim to eliminate excessive overtime in contract factories. To implement human resources management systems and educational training for workers about their rights to freedom of association in key contract factories.”
Adidas has also launched Grün, a sustainable range of footwear for both men and women. Adidas asserts that within its range, every element of the product and packaging will have the least impact on the environment. Every shoe in the range fits into the category of Made from, recycled, and reground. Materials used in the range include: chromium free leather (or suede), cotton and jute, recycled PET, recycled rubber and tyres, hemp, linen, wood pulp fibres, gum rubber as well as mulberry paper and bamboo on a particular shoes in the women’s range. Interestingly, on some outsoles rice husks are used and cork is utilised for midsole detailing.
Away from sporting brands, El Naturalista is a purely ethical global shoe brand that adheres to their own strict guidelines with regards to ecologically and ethically sound footwear production. El Naturalista ensure that all suppliers, the factory and all agents and sales people adhere to their environmental policy. In producing footwear, El Naturalista strive to:
- promote natural materials and dyes
- Avoid polluting substances
- Protect and sustain environment
- Use biodegradable substances where possible
- Recycle materials where possible
- Pay producers fair wages
- Promote traditional skills
- Support appropriate technology
- Operate in transparency
El Naturalista also work to give back to the community through involvement in charity and non government organisations. View their eco-policy here.
And is this isn’t eco savvy enough, why not recycle your old jeans into unique, personalised footwear? UK company recycleyourjeans.com believe turning your old pants into new sandals means they have the lowest carbon footprint of any recycled footwear anywhere, saving the environment further hazardous chemicals that would inevitably go into producing materials.
And for non-sweat shoes made of natural fibres No Sweat Stuff stock ethical, casual footwear in the style of Chuck Taylors.
So, protect your feet, the environment and the quality of life for workers in one easy step. Buy ethical.
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