Posted April 24th, 2005 at 5:45PM
Our Mission
Our mission is to establish a worldwide consumer cooperative and to reassert consumer sovereignty over capitalism. We hope this blackspot sneaker venture is the beginning of a new era in ethical, worker-friendly, environmentally friendly production in the shoe industry.
The Shoes
Blackspot v1 and Blackspot v2 are both designed by John Fluevog, known for his cutting edge innovativeness and flair. The shoes comply with vegan standards, and are being monitored by Robin Webb of Vegetarian Shoes in the UK. Robin is an industry leader dedicated to the production of ethical footwear. The Blackspot will be sold only in independently owned retail stores worldwide.
We’re using 100% organic hemp, which is processed with natural methods such as water retting, eliminating the need to use chemicals. Blackspot v1 has a rubber sole and a toe cap that is 70% biodegradable, whereas Blackspot v2 has a sole made from recovered car tires. We’re not currently using water-based glues, as they lack permanence so shoe longevity suffers. The white anti-logo and the red splotches are hand-painted, and the soles are stitched, glued and embedded for extra durability.
The Factory
The Blackspot sneaker factory is located in a rural region of Portugal called Felgueiras, an area steeped in 400 years of shoe-making tradition. The factory has been owned and operated by the same family for three generations. The owners have a reputation for being excellent employers. Although many of the employees in the factory have cars, others are often seen walking home through vineyards and olive groves, waving to bosses and neighbors as they pass. Felgueiras is a friendly place. There is almost no crime. Many who live there have lived there all their lives.
From the same people who brought you Adbusters. Only downside? The price of CDN $125. They cost a bit to make, but the real goal here is profit.
Maybe the sneaker V1 is more my speed.
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