Vegan shoes? Does that mean they don't eat meat or dairy? Dietary restrictions are confusing. But when it comes to vegan shoes, it's pretty simple. Vegan shoes lessen our impact on the environment, and make for badass looking, sustainable kicks to boot!
Vegan shoes: what does this mean?
So what does "vegan" mean? According to
The Vegan Society, "veganism is a way of living which seeks
to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose." What started as a diet, is now becoming a lifestyle. Not only do vegans not eat meat and fish, but they also don't eat products from animals, like cheese, eggs, and even honey. Vegans also steer clear of things like apparel, shampoo, shoes, and other lifestyle items that contain or use animal products like leather, silk, or fur. Naturally, vegans also don't use products that are tested on animals. The goal? Vegans want to prevent animal cruelty and environmental degradation (ie. clearing land for farming and animal grazing that leads to endangered species).
Makes sense to us.
What about SAOLA?
When we started out, being a
vegan shoe company was not our top priority.
Our focus was to use eco-friendly materials and lessen our impact on the planet as much as possible. But, after researching these eco-friendly materials,
we couldn't identify a leather that was both kind to the planet and also cost efficient. We were also aware that the meat and leather industries are the number one cause for deforestation and wildlife extinction. Some studies have shown that the meat and dairy production are responsible for more than half of the agricultural industry's greenhouse gas emissions (more than the world's transportation systems combined, says a
PETA study). And this friends, just won't fly.
Thus, we decided to focus our search on non-leather materials to produce our recycled shoes. We found a lot of options but again, most of them lacked the sustainability factor. After months of research we found the materials we are using today. These are made of between 40% & 60% recycled PET, and the rest is PU (polyurethane). And, the kicker? They are vegan. We know this is not the "perfect" solution (ideally they would be 100% recycled or bio-based), but instead, it's a step in the right direction for our future.
After deciding on the materials, the only other component that would make our shoes non-vegan, was the glue. So, we asked our supplier to use a glue that is not pork-based. And voila! All of our products are 100% vegan.
In the future, we aim to continue our focus on sustainability and environmentally-friendly materials. Whatever materials come, you can ensure they will be ethically sourced, and nicer to Mother Nature.
Join us and #MAKEANIMPACT
Discover our sustainable shoes collection.
