My favourite shoes

My newest pair of Etiko sneakers

In my ongoing quest to find ethical, environmentally-responsible clothes, I’ve become a huge fan of Etiko sneakers. Over the last few years, I’ve bought 3 pairs and have been really happy with not just the quality of the shoes but the friendly service too. They sell sneakers (similar to a Converse style), alpargatas (outdoor slippers), t-shirts, men’s business shirts and a range of sports balls too. Their website says they’ll be stocking thongs soon too, which will be great for summer.

Their sneakers are made from sustainable rubber certified by the Forest Stewarship Council, and certified organic cotton. Even better, they’re a Fair Trade product with a strict code of ethics for dealing with their workers in Pakistan, to ensure that they are fairly paid for their labour and have safe workplaces. They pay an extra Fair-Trade premium for the goods, which the workers have chosen to put towards a health-care scheme. All of this is fully accredited so Etiko can prove that they’re not just talking the talk, they’re walking the walk.

I think they’ve made a huge effort to create a truly sustainable and just business, and I’m sure we’ll see further improvements as they figure out new things. Instead of making a big splash with lots of marketing and so on, the Etiko crew have focused on one thing at a time, making each new step as good as they can before moving on to the next. Their plans for the future include making dress shoes and running shoes as well, and increasing their distribution.

To me, this is the way forward for workplaces and businesses and even corporations, not an ever-faster race for market share and growth and profit-at-all-costs. We need more people willing to get back to the basics of supplying quality goods for reasonable prices, while treating their employees as people rather than cogs in a machine.

If you’re looking for some sustainable shoes and shirts, I highly recommend Etiko. If their prices are a little out of your budget, sign up for their newsletter so you’ll find out when they’re having one of their regular sales. But also check out their whole site to see an inspiring example of people using their job to make the world a better place.