FAIR TRADE, ORGANIC AND VEGAN
They may look similar to a well-known brand but these bad boys are radically different.
Let’s start with the sole ...its actually all natural, made from sustainable latex and certified by the FSC (which means the rubber was actually tapped from a tree in a well managed and growing forest instead of being made from petro-chemicals like most other ‘rubber’ products).
Then on to the canvas and laces which are made with cotton which has been certified both organic (GOTS) and fairtrade (FLO). Next stop are the dyes used on the canvas ...they are PCP and AZO free. Finally we even put some thought into the shoe box, yes we know it looks cool but it’s actually made from post-consumer waste.
So there you have it ...a sneaker that is more than just a sneaker!
By the way, though they are made with certified fairtrade cotton, in an accredited fairtrade factory and we pay a social premium to both the rubber producers in Sri Lanka and to the shoe stitchers in Pakistan, these sneakers aren’t certified fairtrade.
The reason for this is that, at this stage, there is no fairtrade standard for footwear ...though we hope there will be one soon. Meanwhile we will continue to lead the way in the production of eco/ethical footwear.
Finally, please note all Etiko sneakers are 100% Vegan. No animal glues (common in most footwear) or leather inserts.