If I am correct nike launched last year the Considered project , a project dedicated to find a more ecological way to produce sneakers . Design was simplified to assemble the shoes with the fewer components , using non lining , recycled rubber , hemp laces and vege-tan leather . Craftmanship was also thought to support a better recycling of the sneakers .
Nike has probably followed the steps of another brand named Veja , the french forward thinking sneaker company , who has decided to do small things to live in a better world . How ? first by respecting the environment , and then by showing interest in doing fair trade with manufacturing countries .
Veja has indeed developed in Brazil an ecological leather, a leather tanned thanks to vegetable elements , without recourse to chromium .
The fabric of the shoes also includes biological cotton cultivated by two co-operatives of small producers in Brazil Nordeste . Based on a system of "agro-ecology" or durable agriculture concept , they do not use chemicals neither pesticides , moreover the productions are sold at fair rates .
As for natural rubber , its exploitation helps the virgin forest , since the culture needs strong and healthy living trees , which makes it possible to fight against its disappearance . The natural rubber is renewable and biodegradable unlike synthetic rubber, or plastic .
Thus Veja has tried to initiate something good for each parts from the small Brazilian producer to the consumer in order to prove that it is possible to work differently.
In the late nineties , if you remember , Phil Knight nike's CEO and creator was accused of making profits on low cost manufacturers in asia , and paticularly in china . Nike's success was too beautiful , and it was time to reveal the real nature of globalisation and its effect on people . Small salaries , hard conditions ... human rights ... you know the rest .
Since , things have probably not changed a lot , but Nike has learned to cover its back . The Considered project remains a marvelous concept , and in 2007 it looks like one of the best ecological effort of a world company so far , but we could argue about the reality of that new policy .
Nike Considered has recently been included to Nike ACG (All Conditions Gear) , reducing the potential market to outdoor sports amateurs , when the concept is in general public's interest .
The low profit made by this new line of products is certainly the cause of that movement ( of course there are other reasons but ... ) . Nike seems in the end not ready to support their own good ideas , which is sad . ( Baby boomers syndrom )
It just shows once again that this world is just all about money .
All things considered - Sneaker Freaker article
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