According to our view on sustainability, a resistant, versatile and long-lasting product is essential.
We select our components carefully and always make sure we know where they come from, giving preference to local, organic and fair-trade materials.
We support regenerative agriculture where the goal is not only taking but also giving something back to create a positive impact on the planet.
We mainly use hemp, organic cotton, burel (felted wool), leather, cork and linen.
In addition to using GOTS-certified pigments, we also partner with another start-up from the Porto region which works with natural dyes derived in part from by-products of the food industry.
We source our organic cotton from Organic Cotton Colors, a collaborative project spanning Spain, Portugal, and Brazil. Operating under the principles of permaculture and regenerative agriculture, this project cultivates cotton in Brazil, fostering a symbiotic relationship with the land and its stewards. The farmers, who are also landowners, are empowered to enact positive change while receiving equitable compensation. Notably, their naturally coloured cotton thrives without the need for artificial irrigation, reflecting their commitment to sustainable practices. This emphasis on respecting natural cycles inevitably limits their production capacity. In situations where our supply from Organic Cotton Colors falls short, we turn back to Portuguese weavers who source cotton from diverse producers who uphold similar standards, although this might not always be possible.
Our hemp grows and is woven into a strong and beautiful fabric at a small family-owned weaving company in Transylvania, Romania, where they have a very long-lasting tradition of transforming hemp. Hemp is a regenerative and easily grown plant, which requires no pesticides and does not exploit soils intensively. It is considered by many organisations and authorities one of the most sustainable and ecological fabrics for the present and the future.
Much like hemp, Linen is a natural fibre extracted from the stalks of flax plants. It has a long history in the Portuguese textile industry, but pure Linen fabric is rare nowadays. The Linen we have used is sourced from Austria, where stands spun from flax grown in France and Belgium are dyed individually using GOTS-certified pigments and woven in Panama style.
The sheared wool we use comes from the Portuguese mountains Serra da Estrela, where the sheep are pastured freely in the country’s tallest peaks. Burel is a 100% sheep’s wool fabric of medieval origin which has always been associated with the Serra da Estrela, the mountain, the shepherds and their capes. The authenticity of Burel results from a sequence of specific operations in the manufacturing process. After being sheared, washed only with natural soap, spun, dyed and woven on the loom the wool is “trodden“ in a machine called a stomper that beats and scalds the wool, transforming the fabric into sackcloth, making it tighter, tougher and water resistant. All of these processes are done in the same region.
Every year, countless tonnes of textiles go to waste, some of which remain untouched. This wastage stems from the prevalent practice of overproduction or discarding high-quality fabrics due to minor defects—more than three per roll—resulting in substantial volumes of materials left abandoned in storage or ending up in landfills. To combat this, we’ve partnered with a local supplier who acquires surpluses from factories. Our focus is solely on procuring natural cotton and linen deadstock, renowned for their exceptional quality and durability. By granting them a fresh lease of life as barefoot shoes, we’re allowing these materials to shine and significantly curbing the textile industry’s waste output. In addition to this, we actively repurpose our own deadstock and offcuts, frequently fashioning them into smaller shoe components or producing exclusive runs of our popular models.
We use vegetable-tanned leather as a by-product from the alimentary sector, REACH certified with no harmful toxins for humans or the environment. The beautiful and naturally water-repellent material becomes more and more beautiful with time and wear. The perfectly imperfect texture and color variations in the pieces create unique-looking shoes.
Portugal is the biggest cork producer worldwide. Despite what many people think, extracting cork doesn’t mean taking trees down. Cork is the bark of the tree which can be taken off every ten years, so it is a completely renewable material with great properties. For our shoes, we use cork as a vegan alternative to leather, for example with its water-repellent properties, insulation and easy care, as the Cork fabric does not require waterproofing.
We utilize Latex, also known as Natural Rubber, sourced from Guatemala, for our soles. Latex is derived from rubber trees, predominantly the Hevea brasiliensis species. Indigenous to tropical zones, these trees are cultivated in meticulously managed rubber plantations, embodying our pledge to both environmental preservation and uncompromising quality. Inherently flexible, durable, and biodegradable, our certified natural rubber not only guarantees a comfortable and fashionable stride but also underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering a sustainable and ecologically conscious footwear selection.
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