Sustainability in the footwear industry
Sustainability today is an important topic for the shoe industry and is undoubtedly a topic of absolute interest and which is much talked about. When we talk about footwear, sustainability is a very broad subject: it touches on various aspects that impact companies along the entire supply chain from raw materials to consumption.
The opinion of our publishing house is that to talk about sustainability at this time it is necessary to balance two aspects:
- Create an effective story telling capable of attracting the attention of consumers;
- Provide a scientific and quantitative basis for the story.
We believe the era of green washing is over and the time has finally come to address the issue of sustainability in the footwear sector with a serious and precise approach. Getting into further details we think it is necessary to elevate the discussion and focus on methodologies based on LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) which have the objective to investigate, measure and accurately describe the environmental impact of products and footwear organizations.
In this section of our site we will try to achieve two goals:
- Aggregate all the articles on the theme of sustainability that describe case histories ranging from development of materials to projects of sustainable shoes and that talk about companies and events.
- Produce articles similar to white papers that can help to understand in a simple but not trivial way the theme of sustainability in the footwear sector.
Biodegradable shoes

What is meant by biodegradable shoe? Let me say it in a simple way: you put it in the soil, you wait a little while and in the end you can’t find it anymore because it has turned into something else.
Learn more about this topic …
Kiefer von Zoe. Commitment to a sustainable future [Download Sustainability White Paper]
With over 40 years of experience in the shoe industry, Kiefer von Zoe specialises in researching and developing materials for assembly insoles for the most demanding shoe manufacturers and designers.
Read more …Sustainability news from our blog

Demetra: Gucci’s innovative green-luxury material
In the year of the centenary of its birth, the Florentine Maison of luxury launches a new sustainable material with luxurious finishes, which it makes available to the entire fashion industry.

How to grow a successful business
We talk about it with Guido Cami, president and CEO of Industrie Chimiche Forestali S.p.A., evaluating aspects such as the economic situation, acquisitions and sustainability.

Success for A NEW POINT OF MATERIALS
The debut of the new area of Lineapelle dedicated to responsible innovation has achieved its goal

Peace steps
In the heart of Hebron, for some years now, a small social enterprise has been producing leather goods, ensuring a suitable work environment for a small group of young Palestinians.

The next Global Footwear Sustainability Summit takes place on 20-22 October 2021
The important international event is back focusing on the hottest topic of the moment, that is the 7 crucial issues for the sector.

PrimeAsia China: 10th LWG Certification with Renewed Gold Rated Score
The company, which is leader in the manufacturing of sustainable and innovative leathers for the footwear, apparel and leather goods markets, celebrated its 10th LWG Certification, a new achievement that highlights the company’s long track to continuous environmental improvement.

PrimaLoft and Origin Materials develop carbon-negative insulating fibres for outdoor gear
PrimaLoft, an advanced material technology company and a world leader in the development of high-performance insulations and fabrics, will develop the new fibres with the Californian Origin Materials, the world’s leading carbon-negative materials company, to better address demand for sustainable, high-performance materials.

Bartoli’s eco innovation
Fibreboards made by Bartoli S.p.A. offer the footwear world a sustainable and ecological component.

Tresarti chooses ShippyPro for more sustainable logistics
The Italian tailoring business chooses ShippyPro for the management of its orders and shipments, to reduce delivery times, cut down on costs, pollute less, and accordingly make its customers happy

NewStep, a new bio-polyurethane for sustainable insoles
The Civitanova Marche based company specialised in the production of anatomical insoles for footwear, presents a new eco-sustainable line made with a new polyurethane with a high percentage of biological origin

Finproject and Ales Grey collaborate for a sustainable clog
The new luxury footwear brand debuts on the market with a monobloc made of XL EXTRALIGHT® Sustainable+, an innovative foam developed by the Marche-based company leader in sole technologies

The many faces of sustainability
Over the years Vibram tested different approaches to sustainability issues, never neglecting any possible path: from new compounds to repairs.

bonprix strengthens its commitment to more sustainable fashion
The international online shop for clothing, accessories and household items respects the environment and the wellbeing of animals, obtaining international certifications and setting ambitious medium-term goals.

Everything is ready for the 7th edition of "Out of Fashion"
The 2021-22 sustainable fashion training course will have a new focus on upcycling and recycling