1 - What is the product made from?
Our renewable and responsible materials.
For ten years, we have been seeking better materials to produce our Sneakers, with a single goal: to create footwear that lasts increasingly longer over time.
WHY?
About 57% of footwear and 64% of clothing are made from synthetic materials.
This means that a significant portion of what we wear is made of plastic, which in turn comes from petroleum: a fossil fuel responsible for climate change and the negative impacts that are destroying our Planet.
At Womsh, we want to be a concrete example in the world of fashion of how it is possible to produce design and quality footwear in an ethical way, adopting a responsible policy to protect the resources of the Planet.
From the beginning, we have tried to replace, where possible, synthetic materials derived from petroleum with natural and renewable alternatives.
When we have not found valid alternatives, we have invested in innovative bio-based solutions and found new ways and technologies to ensure the maximum quality and durability of our Sneakers. To produce in an increasingly circular way, we focus only on the use of certified and traceable materials, which do not contain toxic substances and have the least possible impact on the environment
OUR RESULTS
1 - A RESPONSIBLE, CHROME FREE LEATHER, CERTIFIED LWG
"WHY HAVE WE NOT STOPPED PRODUCING LEATHER SNEAKERS?"
BECAUSE NOT ALL LEATHER IS THE SAME, AND IT CAN BE SOURCED SUSTAINABLY.
Traceability and chemical transparency are the two ways with which we make our production chain sustainable. In practice, this means that we know everything about our leather: where it comes from, who produces it, and how. Moreover, the natural characteristics of leather, such as resistance and longevity, contribute to extending the life of our footwear, reducing waste and our environmental impact. Did you know that wearing a pair of shoes for just nine more months reduces the carbon footprint by 20-30%? For the uppers of some models and the linings of the entire collection, we use only leather from EU slaughterhouse waste, obtained through a particular tanning process that does not use heavy metals or chemical substances. It respects responsible production standards and allows obtaining 100% natural and biodegradable leather while maintaining the same characteristics of traditionally tanned leather.
LWG Certification
We source exclusively leather certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG), an international non-profit organization that assesses the environmental and social performance of leather producers throughout the supply chain - from producers to fashion brands - to reduce the environmental impact of leather.
2 - UPPEAL: OUR ALTERNATIVE TO LEATHER
On the market, the alternative to leather is often plastic. We did not want a product that is 99% petroleum-based to be the solution for our Sneakers.
Uppeal is an innovative material that offers the same texture, softness, and waterproofness as leather, but is 100% ecological and vegan. Not only because it does not use animal derivatives, but because it is produced using the waste from apple processing, from cores to the fibers of the peels, recovered after the organic apple supply chain in Trentino. It is the evolution of Appleskin created by Frumat Leather, an Italian company from Trento that with this revolutionary material won the "Technology and Innovation" award at the Green Carpet Fashion in 2018.
For the transformation of industrial waste into a new raw material, Frumat uses only mechanical processes with high energy savings. Moreover, it does not just extract a part of these residues but all the waste, completely closing the apple cycle without releasing new waste into the environment.
Thanks to Apple Skin, we have transformed our obsession for sustainability into a line of Vegan Sneakers Peta Approved and certified Global Recycled Standard (GRS) - a brand that guarantees ethical practices and a reduced environmental impact.
3 - TRANSFORMING WASTE INTO RESOURCES
Upcycling consists of recycling materials or end-of-life products to transform them into something else, without ending up in landfill. Plastic bottles, recycled cotton from textile scraps, and regenerated soles: in our Sneakers, we use various types of recycled and transformed materials that give a second life to waste and allow us to not waste further resources.
4 - ORGANIC AND RECYCLED COTTON
The use of recycled cotton fibers reduces CO2 emissions by 80% compared to conventionally grown cotton. What we use for the laces and lining of our Sneakers is grown according to organic principles, without the use of pesticides or chemicals, and does not contain GMOs. This leads to an improvement in soil conditions, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, greater biodiversity, and protection of farmers health.
By using recycled cotton, we extend the life of a fiber that has already been created and use fewer environmental resources while maintaining the same softness on the skin.
We collect post-consumer textile waste to prevent it from ending up in landfills, regenerating it through a mechanical process that does not involve liquids and reduces the consumption of new water resources to almost zero.
5 - FABRIC FROM RECYCLED PET
From a recycled plastic bottle, we create parts of the upper of a Womsh sneaker.
The fabric parts - from the laces to the labels - of some sneakers in the collection were originally post-consumer plastic bottles, which are transformed thanks to an environmentally respectful reprocessing process, preventing them from ending up in landfills or the oceans.
6 - RECYCLABLE MATERIAL SOLES
To improve our social and environmental impact, Womsh supports the "Il Giardino di Betty" project together with the benefit company ESOsport.
The sole of our sneakers is separated from the upper, and thanks to a special treatment, the rubber it is made of is transformed into a granular material that is used to create the non-slip flooring of childrens playgrounds.
7 - 100% RECYCLED, NON-TOXIC, AND FSC® CERTIFIED PACKAGING
Designed to reduce waste. Fully recyclable. Plastic-free. Our packaging is made from 100% recycled paper processed with waste from the paper industry and produced with renewable energy. A special FSC® recycled cellulose - coming from controlled sources to support responsible forest management - made by European companies leading in the research and production of paper in a circular perspective.
