Everybody loves a unique pair of sneakers. Sneaker collecting is becoming more and more popular among fashion-minded young people.
Another trend that’s on the rise right now is sustainable fashion. Consumers are more concerned than ever with how their clothing gets made.
If you want to grow your sneaker collection while satisfying your conscience, keep reading. We’ll tell you about seven sneaker collaborations with humanitarian goals.
Fast Fashion vs. Sustainable Fashion
You might be wondering: what exactly is sustainable fashion?
Before you start buying sneakers, let’s break down this term.
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In the past several years, public concern has grown about the negative impact of the fast fashion industry.
“Fast fashion” refers to brands, usually with factories based outside of the U.S., that provide exceedingly cheap and fast-shipped clothing. Unfortunately, the promises made by these brands are almost always too good to be true.
Fast fashion brands can charge so little for their clothing because they criminally underpay their factory workers. The clothes can ship so quickly because they force those same workers into overtime.
Sustainable fashion is the alternative to fast fashion. It is clothing that is sourced ethically and priced appropriately.
Sustainable fashion brands often use environmentally conscious business practices as well. These companies do their best to limit their carbon footprint while manufacturing the sneakers you love.
The sneaker collaborations that you’re going to read about here are all sustainably sourced and have humanitarian missions.
1. TOMS Shoes
TOMS is probably the first major humanitarian shoe company to cross your path. Founded 15 years ago, TOMS was one of the first shoe companies to market themselves with a good cause.
For every pair you buy, TOMS donates one pair of shoes to a child in need. The company does this through a partnership with the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project.
Although TOMS originally became famous with a pair of slip-on shoes, they now sell sneakers in both slip-on and lace-up styles.
2. Adidas Human Race
Adidas has a long-standing collaboration with the musician and music producer Pharrell. Through this collaboration, they have launched their line of Human Race shoes.
The humanitarian goal of the Human Race collection is simple: the line promotes equality and harmony between people of all different walks of life.
Pharrell and Adidas aim to remind the world that, on the inside, none of us are all that different. On the outside, however, the shoes are quite stylish!
3. Sole Rebels
Sole Rebels was the world’s first Fair Trade Certified sneaker company. Sole Rebels is based in Ethiopia and seeks to show the world that sustainable business practices can be implemented anywhere in the world.
The company had to go through extensive testing to be certified Fair Trade. This certification means that they meet international standards of ethical employment.
Sole Rebels provides ethically sourced and stylish shoes to people all over the continent of Africa.
4. Keep Cruelty-Free Shoes
Keep has a simple code of ethics: everything must be vegan and cruelty-free. These terms often go hand in hand, but they mean slightly different things.
“Vegan” simply means that their shoes contain no animal products. If you’re looking for genuine leather, this is not the shop for you.
“Cruelty-free” means that no animals were harmed throughout the manufacturing process of Keep’s sneakers.
In addition to their animal-conscious practices, Keep treats their workers well. They are extensively monitored by third-party companies to ensure that their workers are treated fairly.
They are also dedicated to being as environmentally sustainable as possible.
5. Wills London
Wills London seeks to provide working-class people with ethically sourced and fashionable sneakers. One of the main draws of harmful fast fashion brands is their low prices.
Wills is on a mission to remedy this. They want everyone to have ethical shoes, regardless of their financial situation.
Their sneakers follow the trends of high-end streetwear. They are manufactured completely cruelty-free, and the workers that make them are paid following European fair pay laws.
Despite their high-end business practices, Wills won’t overcharge you. They believe in pricing their sneakers as fairly as possible.
With options like this out there, you have very few excuses to rely on fast fashion.
6. BANGS Shoes
BANGS Shoes has a unique mission. They want to sell high-quality sneakers while supporting local entrepreneurs.
BANGS invests 20% of its net profits into new local businesses. Entrepreneurs can pitch their business to BANGS to be considered.
The success rate of businesses BANGS has invested in is quite high. They carefully vet their investments, so only the most promising businesses receive this fantastic opportunity.
With their local business investments, BANGS stimulates small-town economies and helps provide many people with jobs. In this day and age, local economies need a boost like this more than ever before.
7. Nisolo Shoes
Nisolo’s humanitarian mission is centered around its sneaker designs. This sneaker company gives impoverished designers and shoemakers a chance to make it big.
By employing artisans in developing communities, Nisolo gives these artists a chance they might not have gotten otherwise. In an oversaturated market, it can be difficult to get work as a shoemaker without generational wealth.
Nisolo also invests some of its profits into local education programs.
Keep Up With Ethical Sneaker Collaborations
Now that you’ve learned about a few ethical sneaker collaborations find the best pair of shoes for you! There’s no reason you can be stylish and ethical at the same time.
You can’t go wrong with any of these socially conscious brands.
