The Australian bushfires are making us reevaluate whether our sandals are really sustainable or not
It has been a catastrophic Spring and Summer in Australia. After an intense and prolonged drought (potentially the worst in 800 years) that has lasted for 7 years in some areas, we cannot deny that climate change is here and it impacts all of us. We should all be worried, not just for future generations, but us, right here, right now who are experiencing it. This is not just an issue for governments to solve but for us as individuals to contribute daily by changing how we consume products, who we vote for and what type of society we wish to live in.
As previously stated, this business was started because we wanted to build something from the ground up that was sustainable in terms of sourcing and production as well as socially responsible. Although it has taken much longer, we believe we have achieved that. We have sourced materials to produce our sandals from the right suppliers that meet our needs and are sustainable and ethical. However, one issue we continuously monitor is one of the most controversial and that is the issue of leather that we use to make our sandals.
After Versace recently declared it won’t be using kangaroo leather, we were rather taken aback because we believe that kangaroo leather is one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly available. Looking at this as a brand that uses vegetable tanned kangaroo leather exclusively from a local tannery, who is part of the Leather Working Group improving environmental stewardship, we think this is the wrong choice that also sends out the wrong message. Especially as they are not denouncing using other leathers that have abysmal track records of inhumane treatment and are environmentally unfriendly such as cow or sheepskin.
Story Leather Sandals in natural. We use all grades of leather which may show scars because we don’t believe it’s a flaw.
We believe that Versace’s decision was a knee jerk reaction to the bushfires and the accompanying heart breaking images seen around the world. Yes, we are very aware that a billion animals have perished in the bushfires in New South Wales and Victoria, so we wanted to take this time to reflect as well as explain why we use and will continue to use kangaroo leather for the foreseeable future. We also want to state that using animal leather is not something we take lightly. When we first chose to use kangaroo leather we conducted thorough research to understand not only the environmental impacts of the processing of this leather but also how and why it is culled.
Kangaroo leather is a by-product of the of the meat industry unlike cow leather which is generally a co-product as it’s value is quite high. The culling (hunting and shooting) of kangaroos is under strict government control with specific species culled. Each state governs their own culling program and every year each state conducts aerial surveys to ensure that populations aren’t declining (read Queensland’s report from 2019). In 2020, the eastern grey in Queensland has fallen below trigger points so commercial harvesting been halted in certain zones. It is important to note that the quota of animals allowed to be harvested is rarely fully met. For example, in 2019 in most zones only 25-29% of quotas were used. Harvesters must have a Commercial Macropod License and they must adhere to the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes. Whilst this is not a perfect solution it is generally a quite transparent harvesting of meat and leather. Moreover, this also highlights that kangaroos are not farmed and thus, don’t suffer the horrendous treatment many animals do such as cattle, sheep or goat, which as mentioned previously, Versace and other luxury brands have remained silent about. Finally, as indigenous fauna, kangaroos are adapted to this harsh land (for example, they are soft-footed which means they do not compact soil or contribute to soil erosion like hard-hoofed animals do) and have a lower carbon foot print than introduced livestock.
As we source our leather from Queensland we will continue to use kangaroo leather for the foreseeable future as this state has not been affected to the great extent the southern ones have. We will continue to use all grades of leather from premium through to third grade and off cuts to ensure there is no waste. Moreover, we will continue to monitor technological improvements in leather (yes, we are aware of piñatex and what Modern Meadow/Zoa is doing which is not available commercially) but with PVC or other plastic or oil coating we’re still not convinced that “vegan” leather is not creating a larger environmental footprint than real leather. As Melissa Kwasny, author of Putting on the Dog: The Animal Origins of What We Wear, '“We should not replace natural materials with synthetics. “Buy clothes. Not very many. Made mostly from plants and animals. Then cherish and care for them,”
This is quite a complex issue that deserves to be revisited again and again. We have included links below for more reading on the topic and we’re happy to answer any questions or have a respectful discussion about our choice for our sandals.
We’ve also included this image from an article by The Cut (which is a great read as well ) which is a help for those who are unsure about what to do.
Some more reading that we recommend on this issue that has no one right answer: