Since signing up to 10:10 we have implemented several small, easy steps that have helped us cut our costs, carbon emissions and energy usage.

In the office

We are in the process of switching all our lighting to a combination of L.E.D. and compact fluorescent sources. We have a strict recycling policy to reduce the amount of office waste we throw away and maximise the amount we reuse and recycle. Our thermostat has been turned down a notch (much to the dismay of a few in the office!) Everyone walks, cycles or uses public transport (or a combination of) to get to work and we minimise the amount of international travel by effective communication.

Our shoes

We understand the inherent impacts of manufacturing our shoes and we are very much aware of the resources required to produce, package, ship, sell, and recycle them. Fundamentally a few key decisions in the design process, some careful and meticulous planning and a lot of hard work along the way enables us to offer a great range of shoes while working to reduce our impact.

Design

Our shoes are designed to survive. A long-lasting shoe gives you more wear for the amount of energy that went into its manufacture

The design of a shoe is probably the most important aspect in reducing energy usage and carbon emissions along the supply chain. We at Terra Plana regularly re-evaluate what we can do to minimize waste and toxin use and maximize product use and love.

Here are a few principles we try and stick to:

• We design our shoes so they are lightweight. This not only saves energy when we ship them around the world but it is also better for your feet.
• We minimise the amount of glue by using stitched constructions. Our Pop construction uses no glue whatsoever. Where we have to use glue, our factories  endeavour to use water-based adhesives.
• Our shoes are designed to survive. A long-lasting shoe gives you more wear for the amount of energy that went into its manufacture, while our use of traditional shoemaking techniques makes our shoes easier to repair when they do start to wear out.

Materials

We use as many recycled materials as possible including recycled plastic bottles

Everything we make requires energy input, but we do make careful choices in the materials we use to keep this to a minimum. We use as many recycled materials as possible including PET (recycled plastic bottles), partially recycled soling rubbers, foam footbeds, nylon heels and quilts from a Pakistani co-operative.

By using vegetable tanned leather we reduce the amount of toxins and heavy metals needed in a normal tanning process. The leather is prepared by using vegetable extracts to create rich and beautiful colours.

Manufacture

Our shoes are manufactured in China, which has a dense network of the most advanced (and eco-friendly) component suppliers in the world. Making shoes in China is the most efficient way for us to deliver genuine value to our customers in a sustainable way.