ABOUT
Nisolo is an ethical footwear company for women and men, with versatile and effortless designs to complement your everyday. They believe that business has a higher purpose beyond solely profit.
IMPACT
People
Working directly with master shoemakers from Trujillo in Peru, León in Mexico, and Nairobi in Kenya, all of Nisolo’s suppliers are fairly paid and above 18 years of age. They even release their own sustainability reports, mentionion the number of sustainable full-time jobs they’ve generated and livelihoods supported. They are a certified B Corp, which is similar to fair trade but also determines environmental and social impact beyond product attributes or production processes. During a third-party audit of their factory in Peru, they scored a 94 out of 100 possible points. The judging areas ranged from health and safety, wages, working schedule, proper management of chemicals and hazardous materials, and management’s attitude toward social compliance and ethical treatment of employees. They employ a strict code of conduct for all partner factories and independent artisans to sign and comply with to produce for Nisolo.
Product
When possible, we purchase from tanneries that have received certification from The Leather Working Group. All Nisolo jewellery is made from upcycled materials in Nairobi, Kenya. They have also ventured into vegetable tanned leather, a much more sustainable and environmentally friendly tanning process that doesn’t use chrome and other chemicals. Vegetable tanning uses natural oils from bark or plant tannins, thus reducing the product’s environmental impact. They also donate used shoes to minimise textile waste.
Packaging
Nisolo ships their products with reusable canvas bags and boxes. However, they do not specify if they use 100% recycled packaging. There is no information on their plastic consumption during shipping raw materials and finished goods from partners to their own factories.
Planet
Nisolo mentions that determining and reducing their environmental impact is an ongoing priority. They have conducted various studies on their environmental impact and carefully have adjusted their sourcing strategy of raw materials. Above all, the brand decided to move to a better factory space in Peru where they implement new environmental priorities. In order to minimize their carbon footprint, the majority of their raw materials are intentionally sourced and processed in local production facilities. Since early 2018, Nisolo has offset the carbon emissions of all their production by investing in forest conservation in the Cordillera Azul of the Peruvian Amazon.
Principles
Nisolo believes their mission is to push the fashion industry in a more sustainable direction that values exceptional design. They respect the original producer and the planet just as much as the end consumer. The brand understands the importance of third-party auditors and certification to measure their environmental and social impact fairly. Being a B Corp means Nisolo is a forward-thinking, for-profit company. They meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
