Shoes

Shoes. We all wear them. But how do we buy shoes that are ethically made?

Most people have heard of TOMS Shoes. TOMS follows the idea of "one for one". When you purchase a pair of shoes, a pair will be donated to a child in need.

When I first heard fo this concept, years ago, I loved it. How cool that they make their shoes in Ethiopia (a country I have worked in and have a connection with) and that they focus on humanitarianism, instead of just your usual corporate greed!

Over the years, however, I began to feel more and more skeptical. After becoming further involved in development, and getting tired of 'the handout', I started to wonder if TOMS is doing more harm than good.

Recently, TOMS was listed as one of 7 of the worst international aid ideas. Read the full article here.

So is buying TOMS still better than buying shoes from a company like Nike? I don't think TOMS is a great development strategy, but they are at least spreading awareness, which is more than many shoe companies can say. Still, there must be a better option.

Where do our shoes come from?

I have found it difficult to determine the conditions in which the majority of shoes are made. Take the shoes I wear most often...

Gym shoes- Pumas
Everyday shoes- Boots from Aldo
Uggs

Puma actually seems better than most shoe companies. Recently they released a Handbook for Social Standards to "combat the eradication of slavery and human trafficking."

I could find very little information on where Aldo manufactures their shoes. Their website says "ALDO places a premium on being a good corporate citizen by working to enrich the communities in which we live and work. It's not uncommon for ALDO or its employees to participate in fundraisers or to volunteer their time to community causes. ALDO is a brand with a conscience, a brand that cares. We actively support the fight against AIDS. Giving back to our communities is a necessary and fundamental part of the work we do everyday."

Great.... but not good enough. No where on its site did it discuss the manufacturing of its products and their stance of paying fair wages. On a different website, I learned "Today, the ALDO Group sources about 60 per cent of its products in China." I am guessing that none of their shoes are ethically made....

Finally, Ugg boots. "Being one of many clothing products made from animal skin, the production of ugg boots has been the subject of criticism by the animal liberation movement." Yikes...

Better options

In Uganda I visited Sseko Shoes, and I think they are awesome. I wrote about my visit with them HERE, so want to include that post as I highly recommend this company and think they are doing great work to further education in Uganda. That said, their shoe style is limited, focusing only on women's sandals.

Sseko's website says: "Sseko Designs is a not-just-for-profit enterprise that recognizes the power of business and responsible consumerism to support sustainable economic development, which in turn affects a country's educational, justice, and health care systems. The goal of Sseko Designs is two-fold: provide university tuition for these promising young women through a sustainable monthly income, while also contributing to the overall economic development of Uganda."

Recently I came across this article: How Oliberté, the Anti-TOMS, Makes Shoes and Jobs in Africa

Oliberté's website says: Oliberté believes that with the right partners, each country within Africa has the means to grow and support its people. So that's what we do – Oliberté partners with factories, suppliers, farmers and workers to produce premium footwear in Africa, but we do more than that. We work create fair jobs, with the goal of contributing to the development of a thriving middle class. Currently Oliberté operates in Ethiopia, Liberia and Kenya with the goal of expanding to Cameroon, Congo, Uganda and Zambia in the coming years.

They are sold online and have a long list on their website of stores that carry them. Here in Toronto, Town Shoes in the Eaton Centre carry them, as well as several shops along Queen West.


Most recently I came across soleRebels Footwear. Their website says "In the period since our founding in 2004, soleRebels has not only emerged as Ethiopia’s leading eco-ethical footwear brand, and one of the leading ones globally, we are also the first WFTO/IFAT FAIR TRADE certified Fair Trade footwear firm in Ethiopia. To best appreciate the significance of a global footwear brand emerging from a country like Ethiopia, we always say to people: just pause for a moment and imagine the deep economic uplift, distributed benefits, and PROSPERITY that become possible here in Ethiopia as soleRebels becomes possibly the TIMBERLAND or the ADIDAS or the NIKE or the PUMA of Ethiopia or Africa!"

HERE is a great post on soleRebel's blog about the conditions of the factory.