An added-value chain illustrates all of the activities required for manufacturing a product. From the farming of the raw materials to each additional processing step, every aspect comes together in the factory where the shoe is then manufactured before it finally reaches you.

Cotton: Farmer — Ginning Mill — Spinning — Weaving/Knitting — Dyeing

All of the cotton is Fairtrade certified, traded, audited and sourced from Fairtrade producers. Visit info.fairtrade.net/sourcing

The organic cotton we use is companion-planted and cultivated by Fairtrade-certified cooperatives. The farmers receive a guaranteed fixed price plus a Fairtrade bonus for educational and health projects. A mill separates out the cotton fibers, which are then woven into yarn at a spinning mill, then knitted or woven into fabric before further processing at a dye works or printing operation. All of these production steps have to comply with the Fairtrade principles.

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Natural Rubber: Plantation — Latex mill — Rubber-crepe — Rubber mixture — Vulkanization

The natural rubber is FSC®-certified. The soles are bonded using natural latex milk in the classic vulcanization process.

The natural rubber is harvested from FSC®-certified plantations as latex milk that is then processed into a paste, rolled, dried and finally sent as crepe balls to the factory. The crepe is then rolled together with silica, sulfur and pigments and more into a rubber mass. The subsequent vulcanization process sees the mass baked in a special oven to create elastic rubber soles. Instead of using synthetic adhesives for things like joining the sole and the upper together, we use latex milk that has also been vulcanized. Each individual step is subject to the FSC® principles.

Manufacturing facility — Shipping (literally) — Warehouse

Welfare Society — For each pair of shoes sold one US dollar is paid as a premium to the the Talon Fair Trade Workers Welfare Society.

The worker’s rights association founded for the employees of our Pakistani partner factory Talon in the town of Sialkot is called a “Welfare Society”. The society works in accordance with the Fairtrade principles and ensures that the employees also profit from the fair trade practice. For each pair of shoes sold one US dollar is paid as a premium to the society. An elected group of its members then decides democratically which health care and educational projects to use this money for. From Sialkot the sneakers are loaded onto a ship for transport to our warehouse and ultimately to your favorite shop – or straight to you when you purchase them via our web shop.

PETA approved Vegan — Our respect toward life includes animals. Our products make do easily without animal based Ingredients. Approved by PETA.

Most people don’t realize that a sneaker like this is made up of 100 to 200 individual components consisting of things like the inks for screen printing and eyelets for the shoelaces. It’s a long list that is constantly scrutinized for improvement. Does this tiny part comply with our requirements? Every component that can be substituted by a more sustainable alternative is replaced. This is a constant, never-ending process. Here is a summary of the most important small parts.

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