Sustainability Matters: Nike Partners With Ocean Conservancy to Limit Shipping Via Arctic Ocean Routes + More News

Charlie Carballo

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Oct. 24, 2019: Nike and Ocean Conservancy have partnered to launch the Arctic Shipping Corporate Pledge — a commitment of industry leaders to intentionally avoid shipping goods through Arctic Ocean routes. According to the Ocean Conservancy, the routes are becoming increasingly navigable due to climate change, which continues to melt ice caps, leading to flooding and other devastation now and in the future. The pledge was announced this morning by Ocean Conservancy CEO Janis Searles Jones at the Ocean Youth Leadership Summit in Oslo, Norway. Additional companies signing the pledge include Columbia, PVH Corp., H&M and Gap Inc., among others. The signatories support the development of precautionary Arctic shipping practices to enhance the environmental and human safety of current and potential future Arctic shipping.

Oct. 23, 2019: Direct-to-consumer sneaker brand Cariuma has introduced the IBI sneaker, a knit-upper style that’s entirely carbon neutral. The sneaker features a proprietary new material made of low-impact bamboo, which requires no fertilizer and self-regenerates from its own roots. The shoe’s lining, laces and threads are made of recycled plastic from water bottles. The sustainability story continues underfoot: The sole is manufactured from green EVA from sugarcane, while the memory foam insole is made from recyclable cork and mammona oil. The men’s and women’s IBI sneaker retails for $98 and is available online.

More from Footwear News

Oct. 22, 2019: Macy’s, Inc. is going fur-free. Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, as well as the Macy’s off-price stores, will no longer sell fur products by the end of fiscal year 2020. The ban encompasses items from in-house labels and from brand partners, and Macy’s will also be closing down its fur vaults and salons. “Over the past two years, we have been closely following consumer and brand trends, listening to our customers and researching alternatives to fur,” Macy’s CEO and chairman Jeff Gennette said in a statement. “Macy’s private brands are already fur-free, so expanding this practice across all of Macy’s, Inc. is the natural next step.”

Oct. 15, 2019: Have too many shoes in your closet that are not being worn? Help is on the way with the launch of Shoe Bank, a marketplace for swapping women’s shoes. Here, consumers can give and get new shoes without spending money by simply uploading a photo of a gently worn pair of shoes they no longer wear, then they can search for and get another pair in exchange. Participants can wear the shoes for as long as they want, then swap them again. Three levels of style and branding allow users to get a pair that is on par with what they have uploaded. The exchanges are made for a minimal shipping and handling fee. To get started, visit Shoebank.shoes. There are no membership or subscription fees, and no credit card is needed to join.

Oct. 15, 2019: Zutano, a designer of infant and juvenile clothing, accessories, and infant and early walker footwear, has acquired children’s footwear brand Morgan & Milo, known for its offering of shoes for kids up to age 7. Both brands take an environmental stand, with Zutano using 100% organic GOTS-certified cotton in its clothing, while Morgan & Milo shoeboxes are made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper that also feature games, riddles and fun characters. The shoes are now available at Zutano.com and Amazon.com.

Oct. 15, 2019: Vegan Fashion Week, which launched Oct. 10, concludes its programs today in Los Angeles. Under the theme “Fashion Is Activism,” VFW included runway shows and presentations highlighting cruelty-free brands and sustainable sourcing. Dr. Martens was among the vegan-friendly labels that participated. Special guests included actress Mena Suvari and musicians Moby and Kate Nash.

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