WOMSH

Womsh sneakers are created with the aim of combining Italian quality and design with respect for the environment. In fact, they have zero impact and the carbon dioxide emitted during the production cycle is offset by planting trees and preserving growing forests in collaboration with the Lifegate project. Made according to the principles of fair trade, once their life cycle is over, the shoes can be returned to the store for recycling and transformed into shockproof/non-slip floors for playgrounds.

womsh.com

NAT-2™ X ROXXLYN®

The collaboration between Roxxlyn® and nat-2™ was born from an interesting chat at a Paris Tradeshow. Roxxlyn® is known for its exclusive accessories made from stone, nat-2™ for its design sneakers in alternative materials. Both brands have joined forces for this truly German engineering project: a collection of unisex sneakers made from real stone. Slate stone has been made light, soft and flexible through a very complex and cutting-edge technology, which for the first time has been used to make shoes. The luxury sneakers are made in Italy with the finest nappa leather and high quality materials.

nat-2.eu

MIMICRY x LARS TRUCKS NIKE AIR JORDAN 1

The goal was to create a useful product in recycled materials and to draw attention to the migrant crisis. Made with plastic from rubber dinghies collected from the Greek beaches of Chios after the crossing from Turkey, the unisex sneakers are part of the second mimicry collection “I AM MANY” in collaboration with the Berlin-based artist Lars Trucks. Each shoe is completely unique, handmade and carries a story of courage and hope. They can only be purchased from the brand’s online shop through a lottery, and the proceeds of the sale will be used to cover the costs for producing the artisanal shoes in Berlin and to support the refugee work that the non-profit company has been carrying out.

mimycri.de

TRIPPEN

Berlin designers, Angela Spieth and Michael Oehler, created the brand in the 1990s, immediately affirming their precise aesthetics without being a slave to the fashion trends: primarily, rounded toes, comfortable soles – preferably flat – and sophisticated ergonomic platforms. The shoes are designed for everyday use and do not follow short-lived fades. For these reasons, they are appreciated by an emancipated public in search of elegant and long-lasting footwear. The design was achieved in Berlin by a close-knit team of collaborators, while the production is delegated to expert craftsmen from north-eastern Italy, as an ethical choice of the company to enhance and support local and traditional excellences. The colours and leathers are made with vegetable, non-polluting and hypoallergenic substances.

trippen.com

VIVOBAREFOOT

In an attempt to tackle the plastic waste crisis in a pragmatic way, the innovative English company has developed the recycled PET range, which transforms about 17 plastic bottles into a durable, high-performance pair of shoes. Another innovation is the BLOOM algae-based foam, the first sustainable alternative to synthetic and petroleum-based EVA foams prevailing in today’s market. It is used for the Ultra III model, an amphibious shoe perfect for adventures on land and sea. The lightweight hexagon design is breathable, non-absorbent and drains water easily. The new hex grip sole in sticky rubber gives feet a lightweight, flexible and incredible wet and dry traction.

vivobarefoot.com

ALINA SCHUERFELD

The Hamburg designer’s collections interpret sustainable fashion trends. Her shoes are made using vegetable-tanned, chrome free leather or rhubarb-based materials that allow creating a fascinating palette of colours for sandals, slippers and boots. Among the materials, we can find leathers from Germany and Italy and eco-certified salmon leather (waste from the fishing industry that is processed to obtain a python effect).

alinaschuerfeld.com

HOBO SHOES

The quality of the Hobo Shoes comes from the German design and Portuguese production, where most of the manufacturing process occurs by hand according to fair trade principles. The brand was founded in the 1970s in Münster and the products are made using very soft, durable, chrome-free vegetable tanned leather with an attentive eye on carbon dioxide emissions.

hoboshoes.com

ECTOR

Made in plastic bottles and the first ecological sneaker made in France, Ector is based on local know-how, innovative knitting technology and respect for the environment. The shoes are produced entirely in the Romans Sur Isère factory located in the heart of the historic French footwear district. Thanks to the KNIT technology, the shoe is lighter (on average 20%), more flexible and airy than a traditional sneaker. This innovative technical process has the great advantage of not producing any waste material: only the amount needed to make each sneaker is consumed. A 100% optimised process allows saving time and energy in all phases, from knitting to assembly and transport

ector-sneakers.com

NEMANTI MILANO

The Italian brand is not only for those who seek cruelty-free or eco-friendly products, but for anyone who cares about Italian quality craftsmanship and elegance and style. Nemanti Milano’s approach to production is driven by a deep-rooted culture of respect: for animals and for the environment, thanks to the use of plant-based fabrics, often recycled or reused, and with zero impact on the environment; for tradition and workmanship, as demonstrated by the absence of outsourcing to other countries and by the involvement of two craft districts with an ancient and consolidated history: the Marche and Parabiago districts. The materials used are the result of careful research, and ensure comfort, elegance and durability in the shoes: from the more traditional linen, waxed cotton, cork and wood, to more innovative materials such as Alcantara with zero CO2 emissions and faux leather derived from the refuse of the production of cereals. The Spring-Summer 2018 collection will also see the use of “pellemela”, a faux leather obtained from apple cores discarded by agribusiness industries.

nemanti.com

LANIUS

The veteran of the green sector, Claudia Lanius has been on the market since 1999 with the brand carrying her name. She believes that choosing local raw materials is the first step towards sustainability. Lots of materials for the total looks proposed, including cotton, hemp, denim, silk, organic linen and beechwood, many of which are traditional because, as the foundress points out, her job is to create quality products that respect the environment and dignity of workers. The company has numerous certifications (GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard and PETA – Approved Vegan Label among others) and makes use of the best collaborations (independent institutes such as CERS and Control Union) to obtain eco-friendly products that are also fashionable, stylish and innovative.

lanius.com

TEN POINTS

The family business in Norrtälje (Sweden) has been designing shoes with a strong identity since 1983, focusing on craftsmanship and quality. With its handcrafted production in Portugal, the Ten Points brand – synonymous with Swedish quality shoes – has recently achieved success with a sustainable line of shoes made using the finest vegetable leather tanned without chrome.

shoptenpoints.com

ULTRASHOES

The footwear of the ‘circular economy’ brand includes vegan or biodegradable lines and very light cork for sneakers as well as upcycling of materials even in the soles, which are recovered and made of recycled leather from car seats. The shoes produced by the Portuguese company are easy to disassemble after the end of their life cycle and to use for recycling or composting, since they are made without seams, glue or metal parts.

ultrashoes.pt

EL NATURALISTA

The Spanish brand was founded in 2003 in the Rioja region, near Pamplona, an area with a long history of producing quality handmade footwear. The brand is particularly attentive to the environment and to the working conditions of its employees. To ensure that the philosophy of the company adapts to the entire production, clear rules have been established: the use of only natural materials, no use of toxic substances, protection of the environment, maximum use of biodegradable materials, maintaining as much as possible a handcrafted production combined with new technologies. El Naturalista offers many models, all very colourful and completely recyclable, and it also has a vegan line. Their common characteristic is the originality of the shapes and the unquestionable comfort they offer.

elnaturalista.com

NAE

NAE (No Animal Exploitation) is a Portuguese vegan brand that encompasses the manufacturing expertise of an entire nation. The shoes are made from the most unthinkable materials: recycled plastic bottles and used airbags, but also cork and bark from 100% natural and waterproof Portuguese oak. Piñatex is a very interesting line made of a natural material obtained from pineapple leaf fibres (waste from the food industry) coming from the Philippines, which can be used as an alternative to fabrics and leather. This material is surprisingly durable and only comes from certified crops, where international human rights and labour laws are respected.

nae-vegan.com