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Why manufacture our eco-responsible sneakers in Europe?
Let’s start with some statistics. According to the World Footwear 2022 Yearbook, only 2.8% of shoes are manufactured in Europe . 88.2% are made in Asia and 4.7% in South America. However, the United States accounts for 11.3% of global consumption and Germany is the 8th market with 1.7%.
It was obvious to us to manufacture our eco-responsible sneakers in a short circuit in Europe for 2 reasons. The first is to guarantee that the working conditions of the artisans who make our ethical sneakers are good with decent wages and hours. The second is to limit transport and therefore CO2 emissions by opting for a nearby country.
These are the same reasons that led us to select raw materials that all come from nearby countries: Italy for our innovative corn-based bio-material for the exterior of the shoes, Portugal for the sole and packaging, Spain for the lining and removable sole.
Why Portugal to make our eco-responsible sneakers?
Portugal has retained a very advanced know-how in shoe manufacturing with very fine workshops and manufacturing sites, particularly around Felgueiras, north of Porto, where almost half of the Portuguese companies in the shoe sector are located.
The country is renowned for the quality of its shoes , leather goods and shoe components. Portugal has become the base for many premium and luxury brands such as Isabelle Marant, Repetto, Axel Arigato, Chloé, Kenzo and Paul Smith. These major brands have chosen Portugal because the shoes are very well finished and the craftsmen have mastered multiple manufacturing techniques, including Strobel stitching, which is a guarantee of comfort and quality with the sole sewn to the upper rather than glued. This allows us to guarantee the quality and resistance of our eco-responsible sneakers .
Beyond the quality of its manufacturing, Portugal, a member of the European Union, respects high social and environmental standards . This is a fundamental point for us who wish to ensure that the artisans who make our eco-responsible sneakers are properly paid and work in good conditions with a reasonable hourly volume.
Then, Portugal is geographically close which allows us both to limit the distances for the transport of our ecological sneakers and to go there regularly to control the production and development of the models. This also facilitates reactivity and there is a very appreciable cultural proximity between our two countries.
Why don’t we make our ethical sneakers in France?
Shoe production capacity in France has declined considerably since the 1980s. And more generally, we have witnessed a real deindustrialization of Europe which has taken place in several stages.
It started in the 1980s when there were still big wage gaps between the different countries of the European Union. Many manufacturers turned to Spain and Italy to the detriment of Germany and France.
In the early 1990s, there was a new wave with relocation to the Maghreb and Eastern European countries because salaries had increased in southern Europe.
At the end of the 90s, there was a new relocation, this time to Asian countries, particularly China and India, where the majority of shoe production capacity is concentrated.
In the 2000s, there was a new movement towards Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil or Bangladesh, where salaries were lower than those in China and India, which were considered too expensive.
Today, shoe production in France has become very marginal. France now has only 86 production units and 3,900 employees compared to 80,000 in the mid-1960s. Thus, out of nearly 300 million shoes sold in France in 2020, only 14 million, or less than 5%, were manufactured in our territory. The remaining workshops are mainly located in the Pays de la Loire with a concentration around Cholet, in the East, in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (notably in Romans-sur-Isère) and in Nouvelle Aquitaine.
So, while there are some great initiatives in France, for a young brand of eco-responsible sneakers, it turns out to be very complicated to manufacture in France with affordable manufacturing prices and reasonable production times.
Why did we specifically choose this factory for our vegan sneakers?
In the shoe industry, it is north of Porto that the factories with the best expertise in the manufacture of eco-responsible sneakers are located. For heeled shoes, it is rather south of Porto that the best workshops are located.
For the production of our vegan sneakers , we have therefore opted for a factory north of Porto near Felgueiras renowned for its skills and the quality of its finishes. Our vegan sneakers are handmade by experienced craftsmen in a modern and well-equipped factory that brings together 120 people.
The founder and his family are very attentive to the working conditions of their employees. The factory works for luxury brands and knows how to make custom-made products for its clients. They adapt to the most daring designs and find appropriate technical solutions. Audited regularly, they are certified and the workers are paid decently according to their skills with regulated working hours.
They are also experienced in innovative bio-materials with several clients specializing in vegan shoes and sneakers. This requires real expertise to assemble the materials appropriately with adequate temperatures and techniques.
We travel regularly to follow the progress of the development of our vegan sneakers and we always come back delighted to see that the working conditions are good and the craftsmen qualified and invested.
To see the work and the result of these artisans in Portugal, we invite you to visit our shop with the Wild Walker and Master Mind vegan sneaker models . By purchasing our ethical sneakers, you participate in the European economy and preserve quality know-how.
Below we share with you some photos of the factory.
