Our Materials

From day one, our aim was to offer stylish shoes produced with an alternative to leather that would be 100% Vegan. The greenwashing trend didn't exist ten years ago when we launched our brand. The "vegan" concept came from our beliefs and lifestyle as the Founder, Marion Hanania was vegetarian. We were true pioneers in the Vegan shoe industry and we are proud to be the 1st Vegan French shoe company.

In the research for suitable materials, we invested a lot of energy and time. We found out that microfibers were the alternative to leather and suede and were highly used in various technical fields like the aeronautic (interiors of planes), the racing industry (the interiors of cars)

We introduced in 2020 the award-winning APPLESKIN™. We discovered this incredible material during the Future Fabrics Exhibition in London. 

The APPLESKIN™ is made from organic wastes from the apple juice industry in Bolzano (Italy). The carbon footprint of polyurethane (foam) is 5,28Kg CO2 eq/Kg PU; in comparison, recovered waste has zero impact. Therefore, every Kg of apple residuals used to substitute PU means 5,28Kg of CO2 saved. 

PU binds everything together, and it is still part of all synthetic leathers because it makes them durable and more robust. Today it's still impossible to find an alternative to leather, suitable for shoes, 100% Plant-based. The PU is still present even in a small %, but some of our suppliers are working hard towards this. Their goal is to remove PU and create a 100% eco-friendly material by 2026.

Microfibers that looked like leather or suede were innovative materials, robust, resistant to abrasion, heat, waterproof for the most part, and long-lasting. They were created to endure rough conditions and were mostly made of PU at first. We knew PU was not ideal for the environment. Still, we were aware it was better than other more dangerous materials and chemicals used in the textile and leather industry, not to mention the slaughter of animals that we could spare while creating beautiful products, 100% Vegan.

 

After 10 years, the offer of vegan materials is wholly changed. Thanks to brands and people believing in a different Fashion wanting a more transparent process and active conscious consumerism, a lot of alternatives to leather can be found. As the demand increased for sustainable products, the offers of plant-based, vegan, and eco-friendly materials are now widely available and exciting to use and wear.

We can still improve, and find great alternative to leather, we are focusing on PU-free materials and are still researching and testing their durability before using them for our collection. We are close. Furthermore, we are glad the young generations are intensely studying materials engineering, and nations invest in companies employing their time and energy in finding new materials options.

Shoes need to be solid and long-lasting: many of us own 2–3 pairs that we wear all the time and live a life full of adventures in them. We have to carefully select our materials for those reasons, with the best balance possible between innovation, production efficiency, sustainability, and durability.

All our materials are sourced in Europe, between Spain, Italy, and Portugal. We use vegan microfibers Oekotex Standard 100 Class approved and REACH (no chemicals) certified for the upper.

 For the lining, the internal part of the shoes in contact with your socks or skin, we selected a plant-based microfiber made from corn glucose and V-label (Vegan certified). To make this material, the corn glucose is extracted from the plant and fermented to pass from sugar to monomer, then to a polymer to obtain the fibbers with a non-woven technology. This material is 100% recycled and recyclable. It's highly breathable and fast drying. It's Oekotex Standard 100 Class approved, and V-label certified. 

Our materials are easy to clean, resistant, antibacterial. For more info, you can read our guide, “how to clean your GG” for more information.

We certify that an external laboratory has subjected the fabric to strict testing and declared it ecological and free of agents harmful to health.  We use soles made of rubber, light rubber, natural crêpe, and some oil-based. Not only that, but we use water-based glue. All our components are 100% cruelty-free. For our socks, we use organic cotton. 

 

•ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

      

100% microfiber - Chromium VI-free - Ecological CO2-free manufacturing system - OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 •SENSATION OF LEATHER, QUALITY OF MICROFIBER 100% HEALTHY - Absorption – desorption = Total dryness - High abrasion - Antibacterial - Anti-microbial - Anti-odour - Thermal regulation effect - Maximum removal of water - High tear - Hypoallergenic - Absorbent - Washable (at 30º C without shrinking and conserving all its properties)

100% Breathable REGULATION It far exceeds the stipulations of the UNE-EN ISO 20344:2004 standard (R-09119381) In accordance with the REACH regulations In accordance with the legislation relating to azo dyes and chlorinated paraffins In accordance with the 20882 IN: 2009 standard In accordance with the UNE EN ISO 20344:2010 standard