the frye carson oxford - Pratt CSDS

THE FRYE CARSON OXFORD
An historic shoe style with modern flair that makes big impacts—fashionably and environmentally.
History of The Frye Company and the Oxford Shoe
The Frye Company and the Oxford shoe style have existed for well over a
century. The supply, demand and materials have changed over the years.
Environmental Impacts Caused by the Production of Shoes
Product Profile
My Fryes—why I bought them and why I love them!
Shoes similar to those produced by the Frye brand cause a variety of environmental problems near the facilities at which
they are produced.
Cattle Problems
I love buying and collecting shoes, but my favorite by far are the Frye Carson Oxfords I bought nearly a
year ago. They are a stylish, feminine twist on the classic male dress shoe and are made from beautiful,
durable materials that have held up since I originally bought them. However, my absolute favorite part of
these shoes is the history behind them. Combined, the Frye brand and the oxford style shoe have a deep
rooting in American, Scottish and Irish history. Every time I put them on I feel like I’m wearing a big part
of my heritage! I find styles like these intriguing because they are able to transcend fads and appeal to
numerous generations over time.
1640 - Origin of the Oxford shoe
in Ireland and Scotland.
1863 - The John A. Frye Shoe
Company is founded in Marlborough,
Massachusetts. At that time,
the shoes produced by the Frye
company were created as practical
staples for factory workers rather
than objects of fashion and style.
Breeding and raising cattle for leather requires massive amounts
of pastureland and fossil fuels. According to National Geographic,
over 40% of the Earth’s land has been given over to agriculture,
which includes the farming of cattle as well as the farming of feed
that is used for cattle. The need for fossil fuels increases when
machines and vehicles are brought in to tear down trees and
forests for additional pastureland, creating CO2 emissions. Cow
farts also produce vast amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas that is
20 times more impactful than CO2. Runoff from feedlots and dairy
farms creates a source of water pollution and health defects, and also
makes it difficult to grow “replacement” forests.
1830 - The oxford gains popularity
at Oxford University.
Exposure To Health-Damaging Substances
1864 - Frye boots are fabricated for
soldiers fighting on both sides
in the American Civil War.
People that work and live around tanneries suffer ailments
caused by exposure to toxic chemicals used during the tanning
and dyeing processes. These toxic chemicals include but are not
limited to: chromium mineral salts, formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives,
and various oils, dyes, and finishes, some of which are cyanidebased and contain carcinogens. In fact, workers die from cerebrovascular disease, lung cancer and leukemia, all of which are
caused by regular exposure these chemicals. Furthermore, tannery
and dyeing effluents contain a number of toxic pollutants, which
cause further harm when they are dumped back into nearby streams.
1880’s - Frye boots become a
favorite of New England pioneers
traveling westward.
Significant Producers and Exporters of Leather
Because the leather industry spans the globe, people and environments are affected over great amounts of space rather than in smaller, more centralized areas.
Qlo, because many of the steps required to make a shoe must be done by hand, workers are directly exposed to the materials that they are handling.
1926 - Oxford shoes experience
a huge ressurgence of popularity.
1942 - Frye Wellingtons (Jet
Boots) are shipped around the
globe, from Normandy to Okinawa,
to American soldiers fighting in
WWII.
1960-70 - Frye’s “Campus” boot
becomes a symbol of the 60’s
and is worn by all types and
ages. A version of these boots
is presently on display at the
Smithsonian Institute as an icon
of this decade.
China
Argentina Spain Eqypt
USA
India
Mexico Brazil
Italy
Korea
Turkey
Cotton is a water-wasting crop. It takes more than 20,000 liters
of water to produce 1kg of cotton, which is the equivalent to
a single t-shirt and jeans. According to the EPA, about 20 million tons of cotton are produced each year—about 19,000 kgs,
which equates to over 380,000,000 liters of water. The Aral Sea,
which was once the world’s 4th largest lake, is now 70% smaller
due to demands from nearby cotton farms. Many additional
water wastes are caused by leaky irrigation systems, wasteful
field application methods, the cultivation of thirsty crops
not suited to the environment, and weak environmental
legislation that does not control water use by factories and farms.
1987 - Frye is purchased by
Reebok International.
Runoff and Bioaccumulation
Tracing and Cutting
2010 - Frye is bought by a
Chinese Company, Li & Fung.
Water Depletion
2003 - Frye’s stops production
in Massachusetts and begins to
outsource most of its bootmaking
to China.
Punching
Forming
Grinding
Flame Polishing
Pesticides such as insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, are
spread over fields of cotton in order to guard against pests that
destroy the cotton. Fertilizers are also used to enrich the soil.
These substances cause runoff and bioaccumulation in nearby
waters. Bioaccumulated contaminants can cause health damage
to the animal populations of nearby ecosystems, eventually
causing long-term damage and threatening biodiversity.
Additionally, these contaminants are not limited to local
ecosystems but instead travel throughout the global environment,
causing significant problems in colder regions. When they evaporate,
they cause problems such as toxic rain.
PROCESS TREE
A visual documentation of the steps involved in the production of the Frye Carson Oxford Shoe.
Materials and Construction
Adhesive
Leather
Heel
Insole
Aglets
Plastic
Cotton
Laces
Upper
Outsole
Keywords: “Cotton,” “Leather,” “Tanning,” “Processing,” “Distribution,” “Manufacturing,” “Pesticides/Herbicides,” “Frye,” “Vaqueras,” “Sustainable,” “Factory,” “Runoff,” “Chemical Waste”
Sources: How It’s Made. Web. February 10 2012. <http://science.discovery.com/tv-shows/how-its-made/videos/how-its-made-fine-leather-shoes.htm>; Vimeo. Web. February 12 2012.
<http://vimeo.com/41520977>; Vaqueras. Web. February 13 2012. <http://vaqueras.com/>; PETA. Web. February 10 2012. <http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/
leather-environmental-hazards.aspx>; EuroLeather. Web. February 12 2012. <http://www.euroleather.com/process.htm>; National Geographic. February 18 2012. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/water-buffalo/>; Made How. Web. February 10 2012. <http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Cotton.html>; Cotton Counts. Web. February 12
2012. <http://www.cotton.org/pubs/cottoncounts/story/spun-and-woven.cfm>; Made Man. Web. February 19 2012. <http://www.mademan.com/mm/how-are-shoelaces-made.html>;
The Frye Company. Web. February 8 2012. <http://www.thefryecompany.com/>; PETA. Web. February 10 2012. <http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/leather-animals-abused-and-killed-for-their-skins.aspx>; Born Free USA. Web. February 20 2012. <http://www.bornfreeusa.org/articles.php?more=1&p=370>; Made Man. Web. February 20 2012.
<http://www.mademan.com/mm/how-are-shoelaces-made.html>; Process Tree by Catalina Parra, Pratt Institute
PROPOSALS AND CASE STUDIES
Alternative methods that could reduce environmental impacts caused by the production of leather shoes.
Orginizations Advocating Greener Leather Practices
Natural Dyes
A handful of organizations and groups exist that help to better the environmental standards of companies involved
with shoes and leather.
Natural dyes have existed for centuries and are much more
eco-friendly than synthetic dyes, which are often toxic.
Leather Alternatives
Other companies in the fashion industry have started to implement materials with similar qualities to leather that do not create the same,
harmful impacts.
Leather Working Group
This group focuses mostly on the tanning process within
the leather manufacturing industry, as it assesses the
compliance and environmental performance of tanners.
They offer guidelines, suggest safe practices, and promote
improvement. Retailers, manufacturers, chemical suppliers
and technical experts are all involved.
Sustainable Apparel Coalition
The SAC strives to rid the fashion and footwear industry
of all unnecessary manufacturing processes that cause harm
to the environment. They also encourage products and
companies to have positive impacts on the people and
communities associated with their manufacturing activities.
Cochineal Bug - Red
Outdoor Industry Association
This company is a trade association for companies
in the active, outdoor recreation business. OIA
provides sustainable trade services for over 4,000
manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives
and retailers in the outdoor industry, primarily in
the United States.
Timberland Shoes
Timberland has a large section of their website entirely dedicated to information on the environment, the impacts that they are making, and what they are doing
to reduce these impacts.
Morinda Tree Bark - Red
Barkcloth
Cork
Recycled Cardboard
Barkcloth is a durable, versatile material
that comes from trees of the Moraceae
family. It is made by beating sodden strips
of inner bark and may be finished so that
it resembles leather. The company
Refinity takes advantage of this leather
alternative for one of its trench coats,
which has the same tough, fray-proof
qualities as leather.
Cork has long been a reputable candidate
for sustainable alternatives in many areas
of product design, as it is known to grow
back in less than nine years. It is firm and
distresses in the same ways as leather,
but is actually lighter and lacks the bulk of
leather, making it easier to handle for the user.
Paper No. 9, a company based out of
Brooklyn, takes recycled cardboard and
creates a leather alternative by massaging
the paper and treating it with natural oils.
The result is as soft as leather and is
backed with canvas to equal leather’s
durability. This material ages well as has
similar, natural-looking qualities.
Conclusion
The Frye Company has a number of options that could make their product more eco-friendly!
Although leather has a bad reputation in lieu of sustainability and the environment, there are steps that Frye may take in order to better its
product for both the planet and the workers that handle its shoes. The first and easiest step to take would be to pair up with groups such as
the leather working group, which could advise them on friendlier tanning practicies. Further down the road, Frye could experiement with
implementing leather alternatives and natural dyes, but another simple step to take would be to practice a transparency policy similar to
Timberland. Overall there is plenty of room for improvement for the Frye brand.
Indigo Shrub - Indigo
Timberland is a shoe company that rivals the quality and
reputation of Frye, but practices a transparency policy
that reveals both its manufacturing processes and environmental
concerns. Timberland practices Cradle to Cradle policies,
strives to improve the lives of its factory workers, and
implements organic/recycled materials when possible.
Impact Statistics
Overview
Details Synopsis
Details On Materials
Website Access
Tumeric Root - Yellow