{"id":29259,"date":"2019-01-15T11:19:07","date_gmt":"2019-01-15T10:19:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.43einhalb.com\/blog\/?p=29259"},"modified":"2021-03-15T11:22:59","modified_gmt":"2021-03-15T10:22:59","slug":"sustainable-sneaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.43einhalb.com\/blog\/sustainable-sneaker\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable Sneaker"},"content":{"rendered":"

Time for a change! Our stock is filling up more and more with sustainable and\/or vegan sneakers. We\u2019re here to help explain when sneakers are actually sustainable and which brands have eco-friendly alternatives!<\/p>\n

After some negative rumours and accusations of greenwashing against the big trainer brands, the sneaker industry has experienced a turnaround in recent years. Topics like recycling, fair production, vegan alternatives and environmental friendliness have also arrived at the manufacturers. Whether the whole thing is a trend or actually has a long-lasting effect, we will see in the next few years.<\/p>\n

But there is still room for improvement! And the community is also increasingly demanding a more responsible manufacturing process and fair working conditions. Brands like adidas and Nike are in the spotlight and are taking it upon themselves to do more. The brands are responding with responsibility initiatives that are actually having an impact. Because these are not only characterized by an ecology-oriented value chain, but also by the affirmation of an environmentally conscious mindset among the population.<\/p>\n

Did you know, for example, that the production of one pair of leather shoes uses an average of 8,000 litres of water? That would be the same as running the water in the shower for about eleven hours. The average CO2 emission in the production of a pair of running shoes is also worth mentioning here, because according to a study by MIT, between 11.3 and 16.7 kilograms of CO2 are contained in a pair. To compensate for this, every jogger would have to run about 160 km instead of driving a car.<\/p>\n

\"Used<\/p>\n

When are sneakers actually sustainable?<\/h2>\n

Sustainable sneakers are characterized in particular by the materials used. Chemically tanned leather is a no-go!<\/p>\n

There are now many alternatives: Organic cotton, canvas, recycled polyester, recycled synthetic leather, natural rubber or vegetable-tanned leather. The ecological tanning process is cost-intensive and lengthy, which ultimately makes the shoe more expensive. To ensure that the sneakers are not harmful to the environment after production, short transport routes are a must. On top of that, the shoe boxes are often recycled as well. In addition, sustainable brands shine through fair working conditions and cooperation with local producers. The showcase example is the French brand VEJA.<\/p>\n

Vegan and eco-friendly leather sneakers – how does it work?<\/h2>\n

Many brands use synthetic leather for their vegan models. Synthetic leather is made from synthetic materials. But these are notoriously not good for the environment and only support the sustainable idea to a limited extent. For this reason, brands often go different ways, such as adidas, which uses only recycled materials for its \u00bbVegan Icons\u00ab<\/a> imitation leather uppers, which also come with a useful PU coating. VEJA<\/a> provides us a solution that avoids the use of plastic almost entirely. The label has succeeded in finding a vegan and organic material that offers a real alternative to leather – both in terms of suppleness and ecological commitment. The so-called C.W.L. (Corn Waste Laminate) material is made in Italy from corn waste and consists of cotton fabric coated with corn waste P.U. from the food industry. This makes it possible for VEJA to bring completely vegan sneakers to the market.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The Urca CWL is the most environmentally conscious sneaker in the VEJA range. The sneaker is made from 50% food industry waste and is also otherwise made exclusively from renewable marine, agricultural and forestry materials.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brands with sustainable sneakers:<\/h2>\n

Sneakers that are made differently: VEJA<\/h3>\n

VEJA’s philosophy \u00bbIs another world possible?\u00ab points to the label’s fair working conditions, sustainable thinking and transparency. The raw materials for VEJA sneakers are made in Brazil and consist partly of recycled polyester, organic cotton and natural rubber. In this way, the brand helps local organic farmers to make a living from their products and, on top of that, prevents further deforestation of the rainforest through sustainable rubber production. By the way, the two founders have been doing this since 2005 and the sneakers now have a kind of iconic status, which makes them extremely popular in our community. Not only the ecological idea is very popular, but also the design of the sneakers, which is inspired by styles from the 70s.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n