ekn Footwear – RESPONSIBLE TRAINER STYLES FROM FRANKFURT
With trainers from ekn Footwear, you are not simply opting for an inferior, disposable product that follows current trends - you are selecting a sustainable product, handcrafted in Europe, that meets even the highest ethical standards. The deplorable practices adopted within the footwear and fashion industry result, for the most part, in synthetic and poorly manufactured products made in unacceptable working conditions with really poor pay. For the makers of ekn Footwear, the definite need to counter these immoral practices means creating a responsible product with the utmost transparency in terms of both manufacturing and sourcing.
NATURAL TANNING & NATURAL MATERIALS
At ekn Footwear, they are breaking away from what has been considered the norm in the shoe-making industry for many years now. Fair working conditions and transparency in the use of environmentally friendly and recycled materials, all of which are taken solely from the region around their production site in Portugal, are the cornerstones of the brand. Right from the development of its first collection, ekn Footwear has focused on minimizing the ecological footprint of each purchase while still offering the maximum in terms of quality to each customer.
The shoemakers and tanners employed in Portugal have learned their craft from scratch and are extremely skilled in the art of trainer production. They are also true pioneers and were the first shoe manufacturers in Europe, at the end of the 1980s, to tan leather without adding chrome. This ensures that every model from ekn Footwear is free from harmful substances, as the cowhide lining and calfskin used for the inner soles are also tanned without chrome. The men's and women's trainers from ekn Footwear can, therefore, also be worn without socks. The majority of the soles offered by ekn Footwear are made almost exclusively from recycled materials and the laces for their casual companions are produced predominantly from organic cotton, meaning no preservation-endangering synthetic fertilizers have been used in the cotton fields.
RECYCLED ELEMENTS & VEGAN TRAINER STYLES
Every single detail of the trainers from ekn Footwear is thought through with great care, so it's no surprise that even the thread used is made to sustainable and ecological standards. Only waxed polyester yarn sourced from the area surrounding the Portuguese factory is used, most of which is also recycled.
Now more than ever, vegan shoes are a popular trend on the footwear market. Often, however, people fail to really reflect on what they are buying, leading to misunderstandings about the use of certain materials and their possible origins. This is not the case with ekn Footwear. No matter whether it's the upper, the sole, or even the glue used - every single element is made of plant-based or synthetic raw materials. What's more, the vegan materials are not taken from new; instead, PET bottles are used to produce a microfiber that is every bit as good as smooth and rough leather - and not just in terms of appearance. Factors such as breathability, flexibility, and suppleness are all maintained, yet the material is also lightweight.
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