If you’ve ever listened to “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors, you know that before any music from instruments begins, there is the sound of heavy rain and thunder, giving the song an ambience created by the “music” of nature. Likewise, about halfway through “Blackbird” by The Beatles, the sound of a male blackbird singing adds the inimitable chorus of the natural world to the melody.
As much as nature’s music has been sampled and added to songs over the history of modern music, its symphony of sounds have never been credited or given royalties.
Sounds Right is a new Museum for the United Nations – UN Live initiative that will allow artists who use sounds from the natural environment in their recordings to credit “NATURE” as a featured artist on streaming platforms like Spotify and give a portion of the royalties to conservation, a press release from the UN said.
“Sounds Right is a groundbreaking music movement. It unites people around the world in a shared commitment, recognizing the intrinsic value of nature. Together, we must act now to protect our planet for our common future,” said Melissa Fleming, UN under-secretary-general for global communications, in the press release.
With the goal of starting a global conversation about nature’s value, the platform will give millions of music listeners the chance to take action to help our planet.
An international mix of artists have already joined Sounds Right and released or mixed tracks that include Earth sounds to Spotify’s “Feat. NATURE” playlist, including Brian Eno, Ellie Goulding, AURORA, MØ, Anuv Jain and Bomba Estéreo.
“From Colombia to India by way of Norway, Venezuela, Kenya, Denmark, UK, U.S. and Indonesia, there is a truly global selection of artists taking part and highlighting natural sounds from a vast range of ecosystems all over the world,” the press release said. “Brian Eno brings a visceral aspect to his David Bowie collaboration ‘Get Real’ with the harsh cries of hyenas, rooks and wild pigs.”
It has been projected that the Sounds Right project will engage more than 600 million individual listeners and generate over $40 million in the first four years.
“The initiative comes at a critical time. Wildlife populations have declined by an average 69% in the past 50 years and at least 1.2 million plant and animal species are estimated to be at threat of extinction. Sounds Right looks to flip our extractive relationship with the natural world on its head while recognising nature’s contribution to the creative industries,” the press release said.
Donations and royalties for Sounds Right will be collected by Brian Eno’s nonprofit EarthPercent in the United States and United Kingdom and directed toward restoration and biodiversity conservation projects in threatened ecosystems globally. An independent Expert Advisory Panel of mostly Global South conservationists — including Indigenous representatives, environmental activists, biologists and conservation funding experts — will guide distribution of the funds.
“Popular culture, like music, has the power to engage millions and millions of people, ignite positive global change at scale, and get us all on a more sustainable path. In a world where empathy is declining and many people often feel that their actions hardly matter, Sounds Right and UN Live meet people where they already are — on their screens and in their earbuds — with stories and formats they can relate to, and actions that matter to them,” Katja Iversen, Museum for the United Nations – UN Live CEO, said in the press release.
The Sounds Right project is a collaboration between the Museum for the United Nations – UN Live and partners including EarthPercent, Music Declares Emergency, Earthrise, The Listening Planet, Biophonica, Community Arts Network and Limbo Music.
Current EarthPercent targets include conservation efforts in Indian Ocean islands and Madagascar and the prevention of deep-sea mining.
“Hopefully it’ll be a river, or a torrent, or a flood of royalties — and then what we do is distribute that among groups of people who are working on projects to help us deal with the future,” Eno said, as BBC News reported.
“If you’re listening to a beautiful piece of music, you’re hearing the possibility of a good world that we could be in,” Eno added. “I feel that we’re in the middle of an enormous revolution. It shows in the very small things that people do. Their distaste for waste, for example. The feeling that irresponsible consumerism is actually not very pleasant… The people who run the fossil fuel companies, the people who pay advertising companies to tell lies about what is really happening [in the environment] are on their way out. I don’t think they have a platform in the future.”
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Put your feet up and relax with the eco-friendly and non-toxic ottomans, benches, and poufs from these incredible sustainable furniture brands.
What makes an ottoman, pouf, or bench sustainable?
There are a lot of considerations that go into making sustainable furniture. Some brands may meet more of these criteria than others, and some criteria may be more or less important to you.
You might also engage with sustainability differently depending on your lifestyle, budget, aesthetic preferences, among other factors. But here’s a general idea of what to look for:
Look Secondhand
Used ottomans and benches are going to the most sustainable option since these furniture pieces have already been produced! Plus you’re preventing that furniture from heading to a landfill. You could browse an app like OfferUp or check your local Facebook Marketplace.
You can also check secondhand furniture sites like AptDeco and Chairish
Shopping for new sustainably-made ottomans and benches? Check out the following tips:
Eco-Conscious & Durable Materials
With the rise of fast furniture, the quality (and the sustainability) of materials used in furniture has declined. I’m consistently blown away by the incredible condition of so much vintage mid-century modern (1930s-1970s) furniture out there!
A sustainable ottoman (or sustainable bench) would be made durably so it lasts and would be constructed from responsibly sourced materials such as FSC-Certified and/or locally sustainably-harvested wood, recycled fabrics and organic natural fabrics for the upholstery, and non-toxic — ideally zero VOC — finishes. This guide has more non-toxic furniture brands.
Responsibly Made
Look into where the brand is producing their ottomans, benches, and/or poufs. Is it in their own workshop or a nearby production facility? Is it in a fair trade artisan workshop? A brand should have full transparency and traceability of their supply chain.
They also should ensure workers are earning living wages and work in safe environments. (This is where the overlap with non-toxic comes in — when there are toxic chemicals used in furniture, supply chain workers are exposed to these toxins in far greater quantities than consumers.)
Circular Practices
The EPA estimates that 12 million tons of furniture are thrown out annually. Yikes. A brand selling sustainable benches and ottomans would ideally consider the following:
- Quality construction so the furniture lasts a lifetime (or several)! If you’re moving a lot, it’s also worth considering how easy that piece of furniture is to move around and deconstruct/reconstruct if necessary. Though this probably is less of a concern with a smaller piece of furniture like a pouf, bench, or ottoman.
- Repairability. Is that material repairable? Does that brand have replacement parts? Is it a material that could be refinished or reupholstered easily? For example “vegan leather” (typically plastic) is very difficult to keep up or repair.
- Secondhand program or resellability. It would be incredible if the brand had a resale program for their furniture. Not many brands do, though. So you might also just think about if the style and quality of the piece would make it easy to sell again if you do think you might outgrow it.
Where to Find Sustainable Ottomans, Benches, and Poufs
Phew, that was a lot! But don’t worry: we’ve done the hard work of sifting through brands to curate the best options available right now. Check them out!
Note that this guide includes affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase which helps us continue to run this site. We only feature brands that meet strict standards for sustainability we love, and that we think you’ll love too.
1. Medley
Best for: non-toxic ottomans and poufs
Medley has sustainable poufs, ottomans (including storage ottomans!), and benches handcrafted in the US to the highest quality standards. To back up their claims, Medley has a lifetime warranty on frames, 10-year warranty on fillings, and a 5-year warranty on fabric upholstery. Their benches and ottomans are made from domestically-sourced FSC-certified Alder hardwood and non-toxic fabrics (including GREENGUARD certified fabrics and natural fabrics like cotton and linen.
Conscious Qualities: US-Made, Quality Warranty, Natural Materials
Price Range: $595 – $1,985
Ships: International
2. Savvy Rest
Best for: organic ottoman made with all-natural materials
Savvy Rest has a non-toxic ottoman made from solid maple hardwood, GOTS-certified organic cotton and/or hemp upholstery, and Cradle to Cradle GOLD-certified Talalay latex. The brand also has a sustainable bench crafted by skilled woodworkers in Charlottesville, Virginia from sustainably-sourced maple. All of their furniture is available unfinished or with zero-VOC finishes.
Conscious Qualities: Non-Toxic, Organic & Natural Materials, Built In Virginia
Price Range: $1,149 – $1,498
Ships: Internationally
Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off!
3. MasayaCo
Best for: sustainable wood benches
Originally founded as a reforestation project, this sustainable furniture company is committed to responsibly-made furniture. They’ve planted 1.2 million trees to date!
MasayaCo’s teak ottomans and benches are handcrafted to order by skilled artisans in Nicaragua. Many of the pieces are suitable for outdoor use as well. Note, though, that MasayaCo doesn’t include information on the finishes they use.
Conscious Qualities: FSC-Certified, Reforestation Projects, Artisan Handmade to Order
Price Range: $295 – $995
Ships To: US States & Territories
4. Urban Natural
Best for: design-forward sustainable benches and ottomans
This sustainable furniture and home retailer has a beautiful selection of functional ottomans, cozy poufs, and elegant benches.
Among their selection are reclaimed teak benches from Ethnicraft and organic ottomans made with all-natural materials from Cisco Home (select “Inside Green”). You’ll likely be able to find whatever you’re looking for on Urban Natural, from an ottoman with storage to a swivel pouf.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-Minded Materials
Price Range: $419 – $5,595
Ships to: Contiguous US; contact for overseas shipping
5. Sabai
Best for: repairable sustainable ottoman
Sabai’s sustainable seating and ottoman considers not only the production practices (like using recycled fabrics, FSC-certified wood, and CertiPUR-US certified foam) but also its use and end-of-life. The company offers replacement parts and has a buy back & resale program.
Conscious Qualities: Recycled & Natural Materials, Secondhand & Repair Program
Price: $425
Ships To: All US States + Canada
6. Emeco
Best for: quality benches with lifetime warranty
Handcrafted in Pennsylvania from recycled aluminum and responsibly-harvested Accoya wood, Emeco’s eco-friendly benches are built to last. In fact, every product passes commercial grade standards — so you know it’s durable. Emeco’s benches are also Cradle to Cradle Gold certified and are free of VOCs.
Conscious Qualities: Recycled & Sustainably Sourced Materials, Durable, Made in the US
Price Range: $1,435 – $2,395
Ships to: US
7. Natural Home
Best for: modular non-toxic ottomans
Natural Home by Futon Shop has non-toxic ottomans made from 100% natural materials. Their NBJ modular ottomans are crafted with natural Dunlop latex, coconut coir base, and wool upholstery. They also have a vegan ottoman made with potato-based PLA fiber. And if you want to go the extra mile, you can upgrade to organic latex fill for your custom ottoman.
Conscious Qualities: Non-Toxic, Natural & Organic Materials, Woman-Founded, Gives Back
Price Range: $699 – $2,125
Ships To: Contiguous US States
8. Loll Designs
Best for: sustainable outdoor ottomans
Loll Designs creates outdoor furniture (including an outdoor ottoman) from partially recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) — mostly from milk jugs – and the upholstery is made from Sunbrella acrylic, a long-lasting performance fabric. All of Loll’s materials are purchased within the US and the furniture is produced in Duluth, Minnesota.
Conscious Qualities: Recycled Materials, Made in the US
Price: $245 – $1,795
Ships to: US
More Sustainable Furniture Guides:
Sustainable & Non-Toxic Sofas To Relax In
Eco-Friendly Chairs To Take A Sustainable Seat In
Gorgeous Sustainable Tables To Gather Around
The post 8 Best Sustainable and Non-Toxic Ottomans, Poufs, and Benches appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
8 Best Sustainable and Non-Toxic Ottomans, Poufs, and Benches
Curtains are often an afterthought when styling your interior spaces, but the right window treatment can honestly bring the entire room together — or add the perfect unexpected accent. The importance of choosing sustainable curtains is equally important in my opinion for several reasons, too.
Why does choosing sustainable curtains even matter?
Toxic Chemicals:
As with any other type of textile, the curtain market is full of plastic curtains made and treated with toxic chemicals. Vinyl curtains are among the worst culprits as they’re typically made from PVC. Research has shown that these PVC curtains contain toxic chemicals like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) phthalates, and organotins.
And sometimes you can feel the impact: when my husband and I moved into our home, the previous owners had left their curtains. At first, we thought: score! Free curtains. But then the rooms that had windows with full sun kept reeking of burning plastic. My husband would complain of headaches when he was in his office (one of said full-sun rooms). At first, he thought it was all the computer hardware, but as someone who’s written about sustainable fashion and home for a decade, I had a feeling it was the curtains. Sure enough, the second we removed the curtains, the burning plastic smell was gone as were the headaches.
Materials:
The vast majority of curtains are made from synthetic fabrics like polyester. In other words, plastic. In fact when we went shopping for curtains at our local hardware stores, we found that 100% — and I am not exaggerating here — of the options sold on the floor were 100% polyester. Not only is this an unsustainable material, but I do not want the heat of the sun hitting plastic fabric in my house all day long (see above for why!).
Labor Issues
Just as fast fashion is often made in exploitative conditions, home textiles are just as likely to be produced in manufacturing facilities with little transparency by workers earning low wages, working long hours. Sweatshops, child labor, and even forced labor are a reality in the home goods industry as well.
So, what are sustainable curtains?
Sustainable curtains will ideally address these various issues. While every curtain has to be made by human makers from fiber, dyes, and other inputs, all of those elements can be more considered.
Materials:
When it comes to sustainable materials, I look for natural fibers first and foremost. Of course not all natural fibers are low impact, but linen and hemp tend to require fewer resources to grow than cotton. Certified organic cotton can be a better alternative that does not use synthetic pesticides or herbicides for production. That doesn’t mean conventional cotton is “bad” — a lot depends on how that cotton was farmed — but it’s a consideration to keep in mind. I would still always choose cotton over polyester, which releases microplastics when washed.
Dyes and Chemicals:
Most dyes today are also made from petroleum. (It’s depressing, I know.) But there are some brands prioritizing natural, organic dyes for their products — including a few in this guide!
You can identify if a product was potentially made with toxic finishes if the product description says something like “wrinkle free” or “stain resistant”. Water or stain-repellent products can contain PFAS (also called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment or in your body).
This information isn’t always disclosed and frankly, the majority of dyes even from brands using natural fibers are synthetic. So I’d suggest looking for the OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certification which tests for over 1,000 hazardous and harmful chemicals. A product made with synthetic fibers and synthetic dyes can still hold this certification — it does not mean a product is natural — but it can be an assurance against avoiding the most widely known toxic chemicals in textiles.
Ethical Production:
This one is pretty straightforward. Were the people making these curtains treated fairly and paid well?
To ensure this, I look to see if the brand offers transparency into their production. Are they making the curtains themselves? Do they make the curtains in their own studio or production house? If they outsource production, how do they ensure fair wages and safe conditions, and reasonable working hours? One way this is done is through the Fair Trade Certified
certification. While no certification is perfect, this is an added assurance that the facility where that product was made upheld good conditions for workers, and that workers earned a fair wage.
Another approach, particularly for small businesses, is close partnerships with artisan cooperatives. In these arrangements, the cooperatives often set the prices to the brands, giving them financial agency in their work. That doesn’t mean artisan partnerships are always ethical, though. I still like to see transparency into what that relationship is like between designer or brand and artisan.
If you’re thinking: wow, that’s a lot to look for! Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I researched and vetted dozens of brands to curate the best of the best for ethical and sustainable curtains. These brands use fair practices, source sustainably, craft with quality, and have beautiful designs, too.
Where to Find Sustainable and Fair Trade Curtains
Note that this guide includes affiliates. As always, all brands featured meet rigorous sustainability criteria and are brands we love — and that we think you’ll love too!
1. Ichcha
Best for: artisan handmade curtains
Many curtains say “handmade”, but what makes Ichcha special is that each curtain is not just sewn by hand but printed by hand using carved wooden blocks and dyed by hand with natural dyes in Rajasthan, India. Natural doesn’t mean dull though — the brand’s collection is full of vibrant hues.
In short: the craftsmanship behind Ichcha is the real deal. Just keep in mind that with the handcrafted nature of these products, there will be slight variations in products.
Conscious Qualities: Natural Dyes, 100% Cotton, Artisan Handmade
Price Range: $54 – $86
2. Magic Linen
Best for: high-quality 100% linen curtains
I purchased a set of Magic Linen curtains for my home a few years ago and was quite impressed with the weightiness of the brand’s stonewashed linen curtains. The color facing the full sun window has faded, which is to be expected with lower impact dyes, so we just keep the faded side facing outwards.
MagicLinen makes all of their linen products to order locally in Lithuania in-house, minimizing waste throughout production, and shipping products in compostable packaging.
Conscious Qualities: 100% Linen, In-House Production, Made to Order, Compostable Packaging
Price Range: $55 – $217
3. GreenRow
Best for: curtains with vintage-inspired prints
If you haven’t heard of GreenRow, you likely will soon. Part of the Williams-Sonoma network of brands, GreenRow was founded as a furniture and home company of exclusively sustainably-sourced pieces.
Their vibrant patterned curtains are among my favorite for their cozy meets vintage chic vibes. The natural fiber curtains are mostly linen/cotton blends, and several options are OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified and Fair Trade Certified. (Check each product’s description.)
Conscious Qualities: Natural Fibers, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified and Fair Trade Certifiedoptions
Price Range: $129 – $559
4. Linenistic
Best for: organic fiber curtains
Linenistic is one of the few curtain brands out there that has curtains made from GOTS-certified organic linen. The natural medium-weight curtains come in dozens of colors and customizable lengths and widths.
Styles include everything from Japanese Noren curtains and European-style café curtains to piped edge linen drapes and tie-up curtains ideal for a kitchen. You can also add on ruffles (a touch I love!) or add a second color if you choose.
Conscious Qualities: GOTS-Certified Organic Linen, Natural Dyes, Made to Order
Price Range: $35 – $128
5. Rawganique
Best for: non-toxic curtains
If finding all-natural curtains is important to you, I’d steer you towards Rawganique. The brand not only uses top of the line sustainably-sourced materials like organic hemp and organic linen for the curtains, but even the thread is cotton, which from my experience in this industry, I know is quite rare. Further, the brand uses exclusively biodegradable organic dyes or leaves their curtains undyed for a natural look.
Rawganique also has the only fully plastic-free blackout curtain that I’ve seen on the market.
Conscious Qualities: Organic Fabrics, Non-Toxic Dyes & Finishes, In-House Production
Price Range: $79 – $249
6. West Elm Fair Trade Certified
Best for: fair trade curtains
Home retailer West Elm has a sizable selection of Fair Trade Certifiedcurtains in plenty of pretty prints from floral to gingham. (My favorites are from the Emma Chamberlain collection.) If neutral solids are more your style, West Elm has plenty of more basic fair trade curtains as well.
Many of their curtains are made of 100% cotton or 100% linen and STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® Certified as well. (Though not all of them, so you may want to double check the product description if natural fibers are a priority for you.)
Conscious Qualities: Made in Fair Trade Certified facilities, Natural Fiber Options
Price Range: $39 – $838
7. Linden Studio
Best for: customizable linen curtains
Run by a sister duo who have long been passionate about designing and crafting, Linden Studio is a shop creating made to order goods from 100% European linen in their Maryland studio. Among their curtain collection, you’ll find unique detailing like ruffles and pompoms. While pictured all in white, the brand has 12 different colors like cinnamon and terracotta to choose from.
What really makes this option stand out to me though is their custom sewing services — you can send them unused fabric you already picked out. Or if you want to remake old curtains or bedding, you can contact them for a custom quote.
Conscious Qualities: 100% Linen, Made-to-Order, Ethically Made
Price Range: $79 – $164
You May Also Want to Check Out
Ethical Home Decor Brands to Curate a Conscious Space
What is Sustainable Interior Design? Tips, Tricks, and Common Myths
Eco Friendly and Ethical Throw Pillows for Every Aesthetic
The post Fair Trade and Eco-Friendly Curtains to Accent Your Space Sustainably appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
Fair Trade and Eco-Friendly Curtains to Accent Your Space Sustainably
When the temperatures drop, boots are a non-negotiable for staying warm, but finding a stylish set of boots doesn’t need to come at such a high cost to the planet. Check out our curation to sustainable and ethical boots doing things better in footwear.
What Are Sustainable and Ethical Boots?
Any time the word “sustainable” or “ethical” is thrown around, you probably want some context. There aren’t standardized definitions for those terms in fashion and different people or media companies interpret them differently. Here’s what it means for us.
Note that this guide includes links that may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.
Secondhand First
Pre-loved comes in right behind “wearing what you have” on the sustainability priority list. When you make the most of what already exists, you not only keep used footwear out of the landfill (virtually no shoe is truly recyclable) but can also contribute to slowing down fashion production.
Not every secondhand site has footwear, though, so here are our favorite options for finding sustainable boots:
The RealReal
If you’re looking for a quality pair of premium or even designer boots, The RealReal has plenty of options in a range of price points, styles, and quality conditions.
REI Used
For hiking and work boots, take a look at REI’s vast selection of used footwear. The retailer has gently to moderately used shoes from popular hiking brands at a fraction of original retail price.
It is a challenge to find functional footwear built to withstand tough environments that is also sustainable. So shopping used is a great option.
Responsible Production
For this guide, we looked for brands with more ecologically and socially responsible production practices. Does the brand take efforts to ensure workers are treated fairly? How does the brand reduce wastage during production? Do the manufacturing facilities use clean energy? Do they minimize or eliminate air and water pollution? Is the facility local or are the products getting shipped back and forth all over the world?
Not every brand will meet every standard, but we prioritize brands that can check several boxes.
More Sustainable Materials
When it comes to materials, there is quite a controversy in the sustainable footwear space.
Do we choose “vegan leather” that is often partially or fully plastic, and may degrade within a year? Or do we choose long-lasting durable leather that could be contributing to deforestation?
There aren’t easy answers because our options are not great. Alternative leathers have a long way to go when it comes to eliminating plastic and increasing durability. Yet we also cannot ignore leather’s heavy impact and connection to animal exploitation.
For this guide what that means is that we only selected brands with vegan boots that are made with little to no virgin plastic or brands with leather boots that use lower impact leather (recycled or vegetable-tanned) and/or take efforts to ensure the durability of their boots.
One certification you’ll see mentioned throughout the guide is Leather Working Group (LWG) which certifies that a tannery meets standards for environmental performance. This involves things like water and energy use, chemical management, and waste handling in the leather-tanning process. It’s a facility-level environmental certification for tanneries specifically, so it doesn’t certify labor conditions or make a claim about animal welfare.
Where to Find More Sustainable Boots
1. Thesus
Best for: everyday vegan boots that hold up to snow and hiking
Price: $190 – $250
Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Recycled & Natural Materials
I love my pair of Thesus’ Weekend Boots, and they are by far my most-worn shoes during cooler weather. You rarely find me wearing anything else.
The WOC-owned brand is committed to sustainability, making their vegan boots out of over 95% natural and recycled materials.
Tip: size up if you’re planning to wear thick socks! I was glad I did so that I could wear these shoes hiking even during the snowy winter.
2. NAE
Best for: all-vegan boots in innovative plant-based materials
Price: €135 – €215
Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Plant-Based Material Options
Standing for No Animal Exploitation, NAE has all-vegan footwear and accessories made slowly and ethically in Portugal.
NAE’s fall and winter boot collection features a variety of options made from unique footwear fabrics like organic cotton, Piñatex, and rPET.
3. Christy Dawn
Best for: handmade artisan riding and paddock boots
Price Range: $328 – $498
Conscious Qualities: Slow Made, Deadstock Leather Option
Christy Dawn’s vintage-inspired Victorian lace-up paddock boots and timeless riding boots are the ultimate sustainable boots for fall. The Dawn Boot and Yoko Boot are handmade by artisans in Guatemala, with each pair requiring up to 14 hours to construct. Talk about slow fashion!
For a non-new leather option, check out the Chelsea Boot, which is made from deadstock leather in Los Angeles.
4. Bohema
Best for: statement vegan boots in biomaterial leathers
Price Range: €189 – €319
Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Plant-Based Materials, Renewable Energy-Powered Facility
Bohema is a Polish brand creating sustainable boots from impressive biomaterials like Piñatex® pineapple leaf leather, Desserto® cactus leather, and VEGEA® leather that comes from grape leftovers used in winemaking. From rugged combat styles to chic cowboy boots, these vegan boots are every bit as stylish as their leather counterparts.
With a passion for craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations in the brand’s family, Bohema’s collections are handcrafted by local solar-powered family manufacturers.
5. ALOHAS
Best for: made-to-order boots that cut overproduction
Price: $206 – $445
Conscious Qualities: Local Production, On-Demand Model
Crafted in Spain, ALOHAS’ boots will add a dash of glamour to your fall closet. Square-tipped or pointed, platform or high-heeled, ankle-length or mid-calf — you’ll be sure to find a striking pair.
Their range of vegan leather boots are made using biomaterials derived from cactus and corn, while the others are crafted out of Leather Working Group Certified Leather. Most of their boots are available on an “on-demand model” which allows them to produce only the amount that has been pre-ordered in order to cut waste.
6. Coclico
Best for: small-batch artisan leather booties
Price: $225 – $695
Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Small Batch Production
Coclico’s timeless shoes, including their elegant ethical boots, are ethically handcrafted by artisans. To ensure the utmost attention to quality craftsmanship and transparency, the independent footwear brand sources their shoes from a small family-run factory in Spain.
Embodying a slow fashion ethos Coclico’s boots are made in mindfully small quantities to avoid overproduction.
7. Brother Vellies
Best for: handcrafted boots rooted in heritage
Price: $795 – $2,250
Conscious Qualities: Black-Owned, Artisan-Made
Brother Vellies is a Black woman-owned brand that was founded by Aurora James in 2013 to celebrate cultural history and keep African practices and techniques alive.
All of Brother Vellies’ shoes are crafted globally by artisans using timeless artisanal crafts.
Don’t miss the brand’s one-of-a-kind cowboy boots that are hand-painted and true works of art.
8. Fortress of Inca
Best for: Peruvian artisan-made leather boots
Price: $350 – $395
Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Fair Trade Production
Fortress of Inca works with expert shoemaker partners based in Peru with deep experience in leather shoemaking.
The talented shoemakers at each of these workshops are committed to ensuring high-quality, ethically-made boots. Fortress of Inca’s most popular styles are made by Pedro and Marta, an inspiring husband-wife duo who launched their business after Pedro lost a job as a shoemaker.
9. Poppy Barley
Best for: everyday leather boots
Price Range: $375 – $565
Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Fair Trade Production
Poppy Barley is a B-Corp Certified ethical luxury brand based in Canada partnering with family-owned factories in Mexico and Brazil that provide sustainable employment opportunities, paying living wages and providing health care and pension benefits, and ensuring fair hours.
The brand is also taking significant steps to continually improve their social and environmental impact, reporting on their progress with annual reports.
For More Slow Fashion Content:
More Conscious Fashion Guides for Cool Weather
Consciously-Made Sweaters to Keep You Cozy
The Best Eco-Friendly and Vegan Shoe Brands
The Best Ethical & Sustainable Coats to Stay Toasty Warm this Winter
The post 9 Best Sustainable & Ethical Boots For Stylish Warmth appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
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