The best things in life take time. Long live slow fashion.

Stepping up sustainably

Viscata women have both style and grace. They want to wear beautiful things, but they also want to look after the planet. They make conscious, considered decisions because they know that every step they take matters. And they want to wear eco-friendly shoes for women from sustainable shoe brands who share their values. That’s one of the reasons so many sophisticated women choose to buy Viscata’s authentic handmade Spanish espadrilles. One of the reasons they choose to buy from Viscata is because of our handmade heritage and our passion for the highest quality, most durable materials in our handmade shoes and espadrilles. That core value sits at the very heart of everything we do.

Slow fashion, step by step.

According to Viscata’s Operations Director, Guillaume Benoit: “Sustainability is a journey for us. We’re not one of those brands that claims credit for everything we do publicly, while doing less and less behind the scenes. We’re an authentic brand and we intend to stay that way. We’d rather under promise and over deliver. But we recognize that this is a long journey and we’re only at the very start. Sustainable retailing and the slow fashion movement are the future for all of us. We feel like this is a good beginning and we’re very proud of some of our achievements so far. Great things take time.”

Benoit continued: “Wherever possible, we try to use eco-friendly materials to help to minimize our eco-impact. Our authentic handmade Spanish espadrilles are made from authentic natural jute and all the cotton canvas we use is 100% organic.

Fashion is all about making an impact, but the flipside is that we have to reduce the impact that fashion has on our planet. This takes both time and commitment”.

5 things Viscata has done this year to help to change the landscape.

Less waste

It’s obvious that this planet needs less waste. We can see the harmful impact of our consumption across the world. We’d rather be a part of the solution than a part of the problem. One of the most effective ways to reduce waste is to improve our product quality. The more durable and long lasting our shoes are, the fewer of them will end up in landfill. And that’s a good thing. Every year, Viscata repurposes more than 2000 pairs of “end of season” shoes to give them a second life. And we donate an additional 1000 pairs every year to our partners at Soles4 Souls who turn unwanted shoes into opportunities by stopping them going to waste, providing relief, creating jobs and empowering people to break the cycle of poverty. Any other out of season shoes are sold on through a variety of discounted websites and returns centres to further decrease our reliance on landfill.

Smaller footprint

Making our sustainable fashion shoes is one thing, but getting them to you is quite another. And we’re very conscious that this process inevitably takes a toll on the planet. 95% of our shipments are currently made by sea and 80% of our returns are aggregated and shipped in bulk, reusable containers to reduce the environmental impact. We use organic canvas and natural materials wherever possible to keep the process natural. And our shoes are made by hand in a local artisan workshop powered by solar energy, which keeps the carbon footprint low. 

Authentic and true

Viscata’s commitment to sustainability is not just a trendy marketing strategy. We recognize the small roles we each play every day in protecting our planet. Whether it’s individual businesses like us or the wider fashion industry, we all have a role to play in stepping up and taking personal responsibility for our impact on the environment. By prioritizing eco-friendly materials, reducing waste and supporting ethical labor practices, Viscata is able to work towards a more sustainable fashion industry in its journey to become the opposite of fast fashion. All our shoes are handmade in Spain, using traditional artisan methods and local sourcing wherever possible. Our artisan approach can’t be hurried, from braiding the jute by hand to stitching and assembling the sole and attaching it to the upper, at Viscata the difference is in the details. 

Giving our customers what they want

We wouldn’t do any of this if we didn’t think it was important. And, we know that this matters to our customers as well. Viscata women are smart, sensitive and compassionate. But they also have a global perspective and they want to do the right thing. Viscata recognizes that the people who wear our espadrilles share our values. They’re increasingly conscious about the provenance of the products they purchase and the impact they have on the world around them. They are also passionate about quality, which is why we pay so much attention to the materials that we use.  From soft, premium leather and suede to the finest, most durable 100% organic cotton canvas and from our all natural jute soles to our recyclable boxes, we are doing our bit to keep our impact low. By focusing on sustainability, Viscata is not only reducing its environmental footprint but also meeting the demands of a growing group of customers who want to shop their values.

Transparency and heritage

For many company’s sustainability is simply lip service. Once their reputation is built, they slip into their bad old ways again and hope nobody notices. That’s not how it works at Viscata. We’re in this for the long haul. Not just because there’s a brand to protect, but because it’s the right thing to do. We believe in sustainable fashion and Viscata shoes are inspired by nature using the highest quality materials and everything we do, we do in partnership with our suppliers. This is how we ensure honesty, respect and shared values.

We also think it’s important that you get to see what we’re up to at every step of the way. So, we’ve partnered with the folks at Product DNA, to track our product journey from source to shop. We have nothing to hide and transparency is the best policy.

One step at a time

So, there you are - a few of the things that we’re working on as we journey towards sustainability. We know it’s hard and we know it takes a lot of effort. But we also know it’s worth the work.  We only have one planet and we need to look after it now.