Brazilian footwear firm makes 100% sustainable shoe claim
13/04/2011
Priority developed the shoe under its West Coast brand in partnership with a local consultancy, Coelho Assessoria, and the Brazilian Institute for Technology for the Leather and Footwear Industries (IBTeC).
The company said it wanted to use a series of materials developed by supplier companies for Fimec 2011 in response to growing demand in Brazil for sustainability. These materials include leather that it calls environmentally friendly because no heavy metals were used to tan it, bamboo fibre in the lining, recycled EVA in the insole, recycled rubber in the sole, and shoelaces and stitching made from recycled cotton.
“In spite of the progress companies have made in making these materials in a sustainable and economically viable way, our sustainable shoe is still not ready to bring to market,” Priority said at the launch. It explained that the price of sustainable components was still too high to make mass production possible, but said the project showed the company’s commitment to produce shoes that are ever-less damaging to the environment. It said this project was a one step towards a sustainable future.
Samples produced for and during the exhibition as part of a live display of sustainable manufacturing will be donated to charity projects at the end of the event.
Based in the small town of Ivoti in Rio Grande do Sul, the West Coast brand first brought sports casual shoes to market in 1987. It currently exports its footwear to 70 countries worldwide as well as holding a strong position in the domestic Brazilian market.
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