WHAT IS AN ECO-FRIENDLY BASKET?
You have probably already heard of "ethical sneakers", "responsible sneakers" or even « eco-friendly sneakers » and, perhaps you have already acquired it. Today, in the fashion market, everyone has their own definition, so how do you find your way around? This is how we see things at KOST.
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA OF AN ECO-FRIENDLY SNEAKER?
THE MATERIALS
First of all, a so-called “ecological” sneaker is a shoe that is made from natural materials.
The manufacture of an eco-friendly sneaker requires the grouping of several components of the shoe:
In addition, the tanneries with which we work, for the supply of leather, are all Leather Working Group certified, which means that they must respect a certain number of societal and environmental obligations. As a result, tanneries have reduced their carbon footprint by integrating renewable energy, reducing energy and water consumption, finding new markets for waste recycling and improving leather traceability.
THE MANUFACTURE
Manufacturing methods also come into play in the process of an eco-responsible sneaker.
At KOST, we mainly work with European countries, the vast majority with Portugal. First, for the proximity to France. Indeed, producing close to our borders limits our carbon footprint. On the other hand, you should know that the Portuguese workshops have the reputation of being big names in their field and of perfectly mastering the assembly of shoes and even the most pointed, the sewn blake is one of them.
Moreover, as a French brand and concerned about its carbon footprint, it seems important to us that part of our sneaker collection is made in France, so that they have the fewest kilometers to travel to reach you. We are fortunate to have our own production workshop in Maine-et-Loire (49) made up of around forty people. Thus, we continue to support French know-how, preserve jobs and perpetuate this expertise by training new people.
TYPES OF ECO-FRIENDLY SNEAKERS
Beyond the ethical aspect, the eco-responsible sneaker is above all a comfortable shoe that adapts to all styles and can be revisited in different materials and styles. Discover the different types of eco-responsible sneakers that we offer in our shoe collections.
VEGAN SNEAKERS
In the broad sense, a vegan person is a person who has a lifestyle that does not use any animal products (food, clothing, furniture, etc.). Therefore the vegan shoes do not use any animal component. They consist mainly of natural materials such as:
To offer you an ethical consumption alternative for vegans, KOST offers a range of vegan canvas sneakers. For this, we use a textile material created from the recycling of plastic waste found on the seabed such as fishing nets, plastic bottles... This fabric is GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified and Oeko-Tex makes up the upper (the upper part that covers the foot). The laces are made of organic cotton certified GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and the sole is made of 20% recycled rubber.
VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER SNEAKERS
Vegetable tanned leather is not vegan leather. It is animal leather tanned with plants such as bark (oak, mimosa, pine) or wood (oak, chestnut). Thus, the vegetable tanning process makes it possible to transform animal skin into supple and durable leather and reveals deeper and more nuanced colors than chrome-tanned leather.
In our approach to sustainability, we have integrated a range of sneakers in vegetable tanned leather to combine both quality and eco-responsibility.
In addition, the tanneries with which we work, for the supply of leather, are all Leather Working Group certified, which means that they must respect a certain number of societal and environmental obligations. As a result, tanneries have reduced their carbon footprint by integrating renewable energy, reducing energy and water consumption, finding new markets for waste recycling and improving leather traceability.
SNEAKERS MADE FROM RECYCLED RUBBER
The particularity of our sneakers lies in the sole made from recycled rubber. Its recycling makes it possible to use existing material and avoid creating new ones. The sources of rubber are numerous and can be found in used tires, shoe soles, scraps of manufactured tires. However, rubber is polluting and usually ends up incinerated or buried in the ground.
It seemed important to us to bring this matter back to life. We reuse the rubber scraps from the manufacture of the soles to reintegrate them into our soles for its resistance and durability that you find in particular within our BACKSTAGE range, eco-friendly sneakers. Rubber has an almost inexhaustible lifespan and therefore keeps your shoes as long as possible. Currently, our soles incorporate 20% rubber from recycling, beyond that, the sole would not be as resistant and would disintegrate.
