These Brands Are Celebrating Earth Day With New Shoe Releases, Initiatives and More
It’s going to be a happy Earth Day. April 22 marks the anniversary of the environmental movement that encourages a public consciousness about pollution and promotes ways to lead a greener and more sustainable life. Throughout the month, brands are launching new initiatives, commitments and products as they renew promises to do their part to save the planet.
Considering shoes and apparel contribute to the massive amounts of waste that end up in landfills, the footwear industry is speaking out and taking action just in time for the annual environmental event.
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Keep reading below to learn how brands are celebrating Earth Day and come back to see more updates.
Allbirds
Allbirds has launched a new Earth Day initiative called “Keep the Amazon Prime.” The footwear brand has created this campaign in an effort to drive donations to charitable partner, Amazon Watch, and show consumers how society is affecting our planet and one of the most important ecosystems, the Amazon rainforest. In the campaign, there is a spoof platform that gives a bit of early-2000s nostalgia with overstimulating web pages bombarding you with pop-up ads + cheesy infomercials for products you probably don’t need. In addition to the campaign, Allbirds will be matching all donations up to $50,000 and will be showcasing various educational content across all social media platforms.
Cariuma
Sustainable shoe brand Cariama is celebrating Earth Month with an event to clean up New York City. On Earth Day, the brand will be hosting a clean-up event from 11:00am-4:00pm EST in Staten Island on the Stapleton Waterfront. The occasion will allow guests to clean up the surrounding park by planting trees and clearing litter — as well as meditate with a session let by The Big Quiet.
Additionally, the B-corp certified label will be launching an Earth Day version of its hit vegan OCA sneakers, featuring organic and recycled cotton uppers, as well as recycled plastic and cotton laces, in emerald green and light brown colorways. The $89 pair, available in both men’s and women;’s sizes, will also include outsoles formed from its new “BLOOM” rubber, composed from renewable algae. Additionally, the style is produced on-demand to reduce material waste and raises the brand’s Pair-for-Pair commitment: for every pair purchased, the Cariuma will plant 10 trees.
Courtesy of Cariuma
Chaco
Chaco’s popular sport sandals are getting a little bit greener. Starting this year, the footwear brand, which is a division of Wolverine Worldwide, is replacing the polyester webbings on all of its inline styles with webbings made from 100% recycled materials from Repreve. Specifically, Chaco is updating the Z Sandal, Chillos and Lowdown collections, as well as its kids’ offerings. The new styles will begin rolling out to the market this spring.
Courtesy of Chaco
Clarks
Clarks is spotlighting its ATL (All Terrain Leisure) Collection designed with sustainable materials this Earth Day. Inspired by the brand’s signature Wallabee and its moccasin profile, the ATL Trek Wally uses responsibly sourced uppers and recycled-content underfoot cushioning, bio-based EVA midsoles and engineered Rock rubber outsoles with 8% recycled regrind content. This release comes after Clarks launched a sustainability advisory panel earlier this year. The panel consists of leading experts on the environment, sustainable materials, and diversity and inclusion. They will work closely with Clarks to provide advice on strategy, plans and the execution of our global sustainability approach as Clarks continues their journey towards lasting sustainability.
Courtesy of Clarks
Dsquared2
Dsquared2 has launched its new One Life One Planet collection in collaboration with lifestyle brand Smiley. According to the brand, this collection is dedicated to finding ways to reduce environmental impact and maximize social impact to contribute to a more responsible fashion industry. The capsule includes t-shirts and sweatshirts, denim, shorts, and joggers. The accessories line features warm weather espadrilles, sneakers, bucket bags and totes, belts, baseball caps and a bandana.
Courtesy of Dsquared2
Erem
Erem, a startup that makes boots for desert hiking, has announced a commitment to plant 1 million cactus pear cacti through its Cactus Pear Program. In a statement, the brand noted that 30% of the planet’s landmass is desert, which doesn’t benefit from tree-planting programs aimed at slowing climate change. “Planting cactus pear is a better solution for arid landscapes in terms of long-term carbon sequestration, protecting local ecology, revitalizing local economies and conserving precious water resources,” said Erem co-founder and CEO Noah Swartz. Since November, the brand has already planted 250 cacti in a pilot program outside of Joshua Tree National Park and it now plans to scale up by partnering with farmers across the world. The program is funded by proceeds from boot sales. Erem is also developing a coalition of like-minded conservationists and climate change activists and partnering with the newly formed nonprofit Carbon Cactus Foundation, which will match Erem’s cactus pear financial contribution in 2022.
Courtesy of Erem
Etnies
Etnies has announced new goal of planting a total of 3 million trees through its Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree initiative the company launched in 2011. The program started small in Costa Rica with Etnies taking a step in the right direction, then it expanded into Brazil and Africa and have planted 2,073,405 trees. For Earth Day 2022, Etnies will also be planting a tree for every pair of shoes purchased on Etnies.com from Earth Day through May 22, 2022. A tree will also be planted for each Etnies Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree sticker sold on Etnies.com for $1. For the rest of the year, Etnies will continue to plant a tree for every Jameson 2 Eco sold and the brand will be planting a tree for each style in the Etnies Earth Day Pack.
Courtesy of Etnies
Famous Footwear
Famous Footwear is inviting its customers to consider rounding up their purchase total to support the Gateway Arch Park Foundation during National Park Week and Earth Day. Famous Footwear customers will have the chance to round up in any of the nearly 900 stores around the country and online at Famous.com from April 15 through April 25. Gateway Arch Park Foundation was founded in 2009 to support and coordinate the connection of the Arch grounds to the Old Courthouse and downtown St. Louis. Today the Foundation is the conservancy and official philanthropic partner of Gateway Arch National Park, providing park conservation, preservation, educational opportunities, and community programs.
Courtesy of Famous Footwear
Freedom Moses
To celebrate Earth Day, Freedom Moses will donate 20% of all proceeds to Soles4Souls from April 22 through April 24. The responsibly conscious brand’s initiative will support Soles4Souls’ mission to provide gently worn shoes and clothes from individuals and retailers for those in need.
Courtesy of Freedom Moses
Guess
This Earth Month, Guess is launching its in-store customer recycling program in partnership with Homeboy Recycling, a division of Homeboy Industries (HBI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on gang rehabilitation and re-entry. While their core business focuses on IT asset refurbishment and recycling, through this partnership with Guess, Homeboy Recycling is launching a new category of services within the textile and apparel sector. Now available at all Guess, Guess Factory, Accessories and Marciano stores across the United States, customers can bring in 5+ clothing items of any brand to any location and receive a 15% discount on their next full-priced qualifying purchase. Items will then be sent to Homeboy Recycling to be sorted and processed for repair and resale, upcycling, and recycling.
Courtesy of Guess
Keds
Keds is spotlighting numerous sustainable styles for Earth Day, ranging from sneakers to sandals. The brand’s staple Surfer, Kickback, Champion and washable Chillax low-top sneakers are crafted from organic cotton, with its Super Eco Vachetta sneakers notably featuring a unisex fit, responsibly sourced leather and undyed laces. Additionally, the brand is adding its women’s $50 Trio Eco sandals to the mix — which included recycled polyester straps, Tencel Lyocell lining and a 20% recycled rubber outsole to create its most sustainable shoe yet.
Courtesy of Keds
Lane Eight
Sustainable workout shoe brand Lane Eight has launched new colorways of its HIIT Trainer and Trainer AD-1 in men’s and women’s sizes, just in time for Earth Day. The $150 HIIT Trainer is now available in a light beige hue called Sandstorm, while the $130 Trainer AD-1 now comes in a pale green tone deemed Light Sage. Both environment-inspired colors add to both styles’ sustainable nature, as each features plant-based knit uppers.
Courtesy of Lane Eight
Levi’s
Levi’s is launching several collections in honor of Earth Day this year. The denim brand has debuted a six-piece Earth Day collection made using organic cotton for its Vintage Clothing label as well as tote bags from Peace by Piece International. And, as part of its ongoing partnership with Swedish company Renewcell, which pioneered the Circulose fiber (a sustainably sourced viscose made in part from recycled denim), Levi’s has released the recyclable “501 Designed for Circularity” jean. What’s more, at Levi’s Wellthread R&D lab, the company is utilizing natural and plant-based dyes, especially plant-based indigo, as well as the expanded use of organic cotton and rain-fed-hemp for the spring/summer 2022 collection.
IAN BATES
Louis Vuitton
Luxury brand Louis Vuitton is spotlighting its popular unisex Charlie sneakers for Earth Day, ranging from $1,080-$1,130 for low and high-top styles. The lace-up silhouettes feature varying palettes of navy blue, pink and black and white across recycled and bio-based uppers. Adding further eco-friendliness are soles crafted from 94% recycled rubber, as well as recyclable nylon and Econyl laces and tongue patches. For a Luxe finish, all pairs also feature side graphics of the label’s iconic “LV” logo.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Melissa x Simon Miller
Brazilian footwear and accessory brand Melissa teamed up with LA-based Simone Miller to create a footwear capsule collection. The collection includes two styles: the Bubble Clog and the Cloud Slides, both available now on Shopmelissa.com. The clog is available in five colorways while the slides are available in three prints including Simon Miller’s logo and a cow print. Both of the shoe styles are vegan and made with 100 percent recyclable PVC, up to 30 percent recycled material and Melissa’s signature “jelly” technology. The use of recycled materials lines up with Melissa’s brand commitment to promoting comfort and style combined with sustainability. To celebrate the launch of the collaboration, Galeria Melissa NY in NYC will kick off an immersive installation. This installation, which is open March 31 through mid-June, will introduce a visual space where customers can enter the Melissa x Simon Miller world.
Courtesy of Melissa
Merrell
Merrell announced on April 6 its multiyear sustainability initiative aimed at inspiring consumers “to protect the nature that shapes their everyday lives” dubbed “This Is Home.” The campaign, according to Merrell, will focus on digital, social and connected TV, and showcase its footwear and apparel that is made with sustainable materials. To launch “This Is Home,” Merrell will debut a multinational product takeback and resale program called Merrell ReTread, which the brand said will save 300,000 pairs of footwear from landfills. Merrell said it has partnered with ReCircled to implement Merrell ReTread, which will debut this month in the U.S. and Canada, and allow consumers the opportunity to give Merrell footwear back. (ReTread will expand globally in EMEA this year.) Once received, Merrell said the footwear will be repaired and refurbished for resale, broken down for use in new products or recycled for alternative uses. Merrell is encouraging consumers to visit Retread.merrell.com for a free return label to ship used footwear to ReCircled, and after the shipment is collected, they will receive a $20 off promotion code to purchase new footwear or apparel.
Courtesy of Wolverine Worldwide
Minnetonka
Minnetonka is working with nonprofit organization One Tree Planted to plant one tree for every pair purchased on the brand’s website from April 16 to April 22. If consumers purchase a pair of eco-friendly shoes from the Ecowise collection, Minnetonka will double its tree planting. Visit Minnetonkamoccasin.com to participate. No promo code is needed.
Courtesy of Minnetonka
Neiman Marcus Group
To celebrate Earth Month, the Neiman Marcus Group is continuing its commitment to its Environmental Social Governance (ESG) goals off the heels of the release of the company’s first ESG report, the Journey to Revolutionize Impact. Neiman Marcus Group Earth Month highlights include Bergdorf Goodman NYC flagship store receiving an energy-efficient transformation and new sustainable shopping edits on NeimanMarcus.com and BergdorfGoodman.com. Further, 15 Neiman Marcus stores will have Earth Month window displays that speak to circularity in fashion and will host various in-store speaking events and panels centered around issues relating to sustainability in fashion. Plus, throughout the month of March, the retailer also partnered with the Fashion Scholarship Fund to fundraise for the next generation of sustainable designers.
Courtesy of Neiman Marcus
Nisolo
This Earth Day, ethical footwear and accessories brand Nisolo is placing a spotlight on its Sustainability Facts Label it first launch late last year. According to the brand, the label measures a product’s impact on people and the planet across 200 data points, helping to redefine what ‘sustainability’ means and demonstrating the level of transparency required to change the course of the fashion industry. By using this label, the brand is calling for the adoption of labels like their Sustainability Facts Label across fashion products to combat false advertising and greenwashing and to empower consumers to make better choices. Each of Nisolo’s products include the label, which features a QR code consumers can scan to understand the real impact of the fashion items they purchase.
Michael H C Jones for Nisolo
Nomasei x Mr. Larkin
Sustainable brand Nomasei is launching a new collaboration, just in time for Earth Month. Partnering with Mr. Larkin, the luxury label has joined forces with Larkin for a limited-edition sandal collaboration. Putting a summer-worthy twist on Nomasei’s hit Hotel La Plage slides, the collar features dark green and pale blue takes on the neoprene crossed-strap style. In addition to being fully washable, the pairs also are made sustainably with terry cotton and bio-plastic crafted from corn, beet and sugarcane waste. For added comfort, the $195 style also includes a rounded-toe silhouette with crepe TPU soles and cushioned insoles. The duo’s pairing is notably fully organic, as brand founder Casey Larkin Blond was the first to support Nomasei on social media and carry their products in his stores.
Courtesy of Mr. Larkin
Old Navy
This Earth Month, Old Navy is launching The Going Greener Shop, a one-stop-shop for sustainable styles. From water-saving denim and cozy loungewear to summer-ready swimwear and plant-based flip flops, Old Navy said it is putting more consciousness into its clothing. Its latest commitments this Earth Day include 85% of the fibers used in clothing will be more sustainable by 2025; 100% of cotton will be Better Cotton, verified U.S.-grown and recycled by the end of 2022; 100% of denim will be made with water saving techniques by the end of 2022; and 60% of polyester will come from recycled sources by 2025.
Courtesy of Old Navy
Reformation
Reformation has launched a collection of sustainable Climate Tees just in time for Earth Day. Made in Los Angeles, the tees are 100% organic cotton and feature cute graphics. Reformation will also be donating 50% of proceeds from the tees sold online to Canopy, a nonprofit organization protecting the world’s forests, species and climate. This comes after the company recently launched a Circular Denim collection made from fabric scraps. The fabrics are made from 20% recycled scrap cotton and 80% FibreTrace cotton (a technology enabled fiber that allows consumers to follow denim’s entire lifecycle—from fiber, to product, to finished product). Even better, all styles from this collection are 100% recyclable (via Reformation’s recently launched RefRecycling program).
Courtesy of Reformation
Snibbs
In celebration of Earth Day, Snibbs has teamed up with biodegradable technology brand Midori-Bio to make a commitment to become the first sustainable work shoes by the end of 2022. As an already eco-conscious brand, the integration of the Midori-Bio organic additives will allow Snibbs sneakers to biodegrade in just a few years versus centuries. As their first step, Snibbs will incorporate the Midori-Bio technology in its shoe’s midsole. And over the span of the next 18 months, the brand will incorporate Midori-Bio through all components of the shoes to include insole, outsole, uppers, and lace.
Courtesy of Snibbs
Sperry
Sperry is introducing a new purpose platform – All For Water, Water For All – in celebration of this year’s Earth Week. According to the footwear brand, the initiative expresses the brand’s commitment to a more sustainable future. In addition to this launch, Sperry has expanded its SeaCycled collection — a range of footwear made with recycled and eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes. This season’s range includes recycled canvas uppers made with 100% recycled polyester. On average, the equivalent of 12 recycled plastic bottles is used to make one pair of shoes. Reclaimed leathers made from repurposed leather waste and recycled rubber outsoles that keep rubber out of landfills are also used in the SeaCycled range. By 2024 Sperry’s goal is that 50% of the models produced will be part of the SeaCycled collection. Sperry has also renewed its partnership with Waterkeeper Alliance to raise awareness and connect communities to their waterways with clean-up events as well as educational opportunities for Sperry employees and consumers.
Courtesy of Sperry
Tapestry Inc.
Tapestry Inc., the parent company of Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman, announced on April 7 it will donate $3 million to the World Wildlife Fund through its Tapestry Foundation. A portion of the grant will be used to develop a system to enhance traceability of the leather value chain in Brazil, to drive a more sustainable future for the leather-goods industry. In Brazil, cattle farming has contributed to deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado rainforests. Ideally, a leather certification program would reward and encourage providers to operate sustainably. Tapestry said other portions of the grant will go directly toward reforestation programs in the highest risk areas, helping to fund on-the-ground community efforts to address immediate threats to these biomes.
Coach
ThredUp
To celebrate Earth Day, ThredUp has created ‘The Tunnel of Pre-Loved’ — an art installation made up of over 1,000 pounds of used clothes in the middle of Santa Monica Place, a major shopping center in Los Angeles. Following Earth Week, each item of clothing used in the installation will be repurposed and upcycled into a shoppable collection to be sold on ThredUp to further extend the life of each garment. To kick off the installation at Santa Monica Place, ThredUp has partnered with up-and-coming musician Laufey to offer a free show at the ‘Tunnel of Pre-Loved’, open to thrifters only. Aspiring attendees can visit thredup.com/IHeartThrift to commit to thrifting their outfits this festival season and beyond, and sign up to receive a text containing their password into the show.
Courtesy of ThredUp
Timberland
Timberland has launched its new Timberloop Trekker City Hiker, an eco-friendly sneaker-like outdoor shoe specifically designed for circularity. Continuing Timberland’s vision for a more equitable and green future, the new Timberloop Trekker City Hiker features a unique sole construction where the outsoles can be easily removed and disassembled through Timberland’s Timberloop platform, the brand’s product take back program, with each component put into its own recycling stream. In addition, the Timberloop take-back program has expanded with the launch of a new Timberloop resale website in the U.S., enabling consumers to purchase Timberland products that have been repaired or refurbished through the Timberloop program.
Creative Drive for Timberland
Ugg
Ugg has introduced its second carbon-neutral Icon-Impact Collection for spring/summer 2022. The latest Icon-Impact collection features three styles, the Fluff Yeah Terry, Fuzz Sugar Terry Slide, and Fuzz Sugar Terry Cross Slide. These styles feature a looped blend of responsible wool standard-certified wool and Tencel Lyocell sourced from responsibly harvested trees. Ugg also added SugarSole outsoles made with renewable sugarcane. The Icon-Impact collection is now available at Ugg.com, Ugg stores, and select retailers nationwide. To maximize the brand’s positive impact until April 29, 2022, Ugg will once again partner with One Tree Planted to plant 3,950 trees across the USA Pacific Northwest and 10,000 trees in England. The footwear brand has also announced it will launch its first-ever Classic style featuring sheepskin sourced from farms that practice regenerative agriculture in fall 2022.
Courtesy of Ugg
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