Why choose ethical sandals?
If you needed some good news at the start of the week, here it is: there are only 6 weekends left until spring 💐 The winter season is certainly a comfortable refuge in which we like to curl up, but we must admit that the months of February and March are generally spent desperately waiting for the return of the sun... So on this winter Monday, We wanted to get a head start and bring spring to your mind!
The changing seasons are opportunities of to put things back on track and take stock in order to start off on the right foot . Fashion being our favorite subject at Mapache, you can easily imagine that the wardrobe is one of the first places we look to carry out our big spring cleaning 🌪 And what a joy to find our spring-summer things while lining them up tastefully in our wardrobe...
Now that we've had this wonderful reunion, it's time to get down to business. This "dressing switch" is also an opportunity for us to sort through our clothes and accessories. Because from one year to the next, tastes change and desires evolve. We notice this all the more in the current context where our relationship with fashion is becoming more complex, a phenomenon in particular linked to the appearance new eco-responsible challenges.
But let's get back to the point! You're doing your essential spring sorting in your wardrobe and there, disaster. You want to throw that printed dress out the window, those denim jeans are way out of date, and that white t-shirt shrank after a bad wash cycle. Oops. But most importantly, Is it really necessary to mention that the leather straps on your favorite pair of sandals are a shadow of their former selves?
Bottom line: all you have to do now is start looking for new pieces to complete your spring-summer wardrobe. And that's precisely the purpose of this new blog article which will help you find not just a new dress or a new t-shirt, but new sandals because at Mapache, we know a thing or two about it, you see ;)
For this article, we decided to add a little twist to our quest for the perfect sandal. It doesn't just have to be stylish and timeless. In 2023, your future pair of sandals must also be ethical! Below you will discover that this eco-responsible criterion has many advantages and we hope that reading these few paragraphs will be useful to you when spring arrives ☀️
How to recognize an ethical sandal?
In this first part, we'll let you put on your raincoat and bowler hat because it's time to go into investigation mode 🔎 The first step in learning how to identify the ethical potential of your pair of sandals is obviously to take an interest in the brand's message... but that's not all! Nowadays, the bête noire of brands can be summed up in two words: green washing . If you haven't heard of this concept before, it simply involves putting forward ecological arguments in order to improve your responsible brand image when in reality, it's not always so rosy (or rather green, for that matter!).
As a result, many of them have now understood the importance of build communication that is both transparent and, above all, particularly informative regarding the origin and manufacture of their items ( this is what we have implemented at Mapache ). Because telling people what they want to hear is good, but telling them the truth is even better 🌿
The following question now arises: How do you know if the brand is reliable? Don't panic, we've put together three key criteria for you to pay attention to in the future.
- Transparency
At the risk of repeating ourselves, transparency is one of the fundamental criteria for an eco-responsible brand. In other words, if you visit a fashion e-shop and can't find a web page with information about the manufacturing process in just a few clicks: run away. A brand you can trust completely will take you behind the scenes of its collection, particularly by focusing on the following two points...
- The choice of materials
This is an important aspect that you will need to consider seriously, since the nature of the materials used to make your sandals must absolutely be synonymous with quality and durability. In this sense, avoid synthetic materials and Instead, choose noble materials such as vegetable-tanned leather , which we also use at Mapache to make our woven leather sandals. We recently wrote a complete article on vegetable tanning if you want to know more about it!
- Manufacturing
Finally, this last point is by far the most essential insofar as it encompasses several criteria which are: the place and method of manufacture, or the working conditions in which your sandals are made (for example, are workers paid fairly and are they working in good conditions?). At Mapache, we make it a point of honor to respect the fundamentals of artisanal manufacturing , allowing you to fully retrace the journey of your summer sandal, from tanning the leather to its braiding in our Mexican workshops.
The 3 advantages of eco-friendly sandals
Advantage #1 - Durability and quality : Let's be honest, the price of your pair of ethical sandals will probably be higher than that of a pair purchased from a fast-fashion store. The difference? You pay the price for quality, durable sandals that you will keep for more than one season. ( provided you take care of it! ).
Advantage # 2 - Supporting an eco-responsible approach : These days, your purchases have a strong symbolic value. You are no longer just a consumer, but a consumer-actor! By choosing to invest in a new pair of ethical sandals, you support the brand but above all its eco-responsible approach. Your purchase will help the latter grow and make the fashion world more sustainable. In other words: the planet thanks you, and so do we ;)
Advantage # 3 - Traceability of your pair : By bringing awareness to your consumption, you become more sensitive to the impact of your purchases on humans and the environment. You realize that your fashion binges are not without consequences. and you attach greater importance to knowing the origin of the pieces in your wardrobe. For example, wear a pair of Mapache sandals while having the opportunity to observe their manufacture on our Instagram account provides real satisfaction! Try it, you'll see ✨
Where can I find my next pair of responsible sandals?
That's it, we've managed to convince you to invest in eco-friendly sandals for the spring-summer 2023 season! The next step will be to find THE gem that will perfectly match the contents of your wardrobe. And you see where we're going... As a brand of sandals handmade in Mexico, we can only advise you to fall for your first (or second, who knows!) pair of Mapache this year 🌵
Are you looking for a closed and timeless sandal? We advise you our iconic Alegre which comes in many colors. Do you prefer an open sandal? Go ahead and discover our Ola model and its laces to tie, or even our Tehuacan and its delicate braiding.
We're also taking this opportunity to give you some very sunny information: Our new collection will be available in March on our e-shop 🌞 So now you know where to find your next pair of responsible sandals!
