Building a more sustainable wardrobe doesn’t, and realistically can’t, happen overnight. You can starting by slowly buying into ethical fashion brands, or looking at which areas are worth investing in more, such as sustainable trainers.
Why? Because trainers, and sportswear in general has historically been the black sheep of the industry, with 95% of the 20 billion pairs of shoes produced globally each year ending up in landfill sites, according to Good News.
Luckily, a lot of trainer brands are looking into more ethical and sustainable ways to produce their shoes, and therefore reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the planet.
The likes of Veja, Superga and Tretorn, beloved by Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle for examples, are focusing their efforts on eco-friendly fabrics such as organic cotton and hemp (more durable and better recyclable), as well as vegan leather, natural rubber and recycled materials.
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Other brands such as Yatay are off-setting their footprint by taking back your old trainers to recycle them, and planting a tree for every pair sold. Ethical running shoe brand Allbirds are making their models carbon neutral by creating fabrics from Forest Stewardship Council-certified eucalyptus trees, and their trademarked SweetFoam used in midsoles is made with carbon-negative green EVA material.
While it doesn’t seem as important, the packaging your trainers comes in is obviously key. Sending eco-friendly shoes in a plastic bag just isn’t going to cut it, which is why some labels are also focusing on recycled cardboard packaging that is free of single-use plastic.
And did I mention these stylish sustainable trainers will totally elevate your outfit, whether that’s a maxi skirt, a floral dress or your favourite sustainable jeans?
Shop my edit of the best ethical trainers from the likes of Stella McCartney, adidas, Veja, Clarks and more.
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