Good On You - Etiko.com.au

Etiko’s ethical sneakers are a godsend!
I’d spent the last year trying my hardest to only buy ethically made products
(http://goodonyou.org.au/why-i-care-about-ethical-fashion/) and had not found one
pair of ethical sneakers. That is, until I recently stumbled upon Etiko
(http://goodonyou.org.au/product/etiko).
As I typed “Ethical Sneakers Australia” into my search engine, I mentally prepared
myself for images of granny orthopedic looking shoes. Honestly, orthopedic sneaks
would probably be practical – but I wanted something cute! I needed something
comfortable to give my poor beat-up feet a break after taking a hospitality job and
being on my feet all day. Something I could wear outside of work too…I know, I’m
demanding…
To my surprise, what I anticipated might take hours to nd actually took about 10
seconds. Etiko (http://www.etiko.com.au/) was the second search result and I knew
immediately that this was the style I was looking for. But how ethical were they, really?
(http://goodonyou.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2015/05/Etiko-1.jpg)
The transparency of their supply chain,
their practices, and certi cations can be
found right there on their “About Us”
page. (http://www.etiko.com.au/aboutus/) Talk about making this easy for me!
It was at this point that I totally fell in
love with the brand.
I was sort of awestruck by it all. This was by far both the most information I had seen a
company freely o ering its customers, and the most inspiring details I had ever come
across.
Etiko gets the highest rating of “Excellent (http://goodonyou.org.au/about/how-we-rateproducts/)” on Good On You. In 2013 they were the winner of The Most Ethical Brand in
a report by Behind the Barcode (https://www.baptistworldaid.org.au/behind-thebarcode/)!
It all comes down to the fact that Etiko is unlike any other producer in its industry.
While older footwear companies are changing their existing practices to meet the ever
growing demand for eco friendly and ethical fashion, Etiko has the advantage of being
young. Only ten years old, the company was able to build itself from the ground up
around these current concerns. Etiko’s mission is to provide ethically and
environmentally made sneakers. From the induction of the very concept onward, their
priority is to provide consumers with an option that doesn’t hurt others or the
environment in the process.
(http://goodonyou.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/IMG_9349.png)
How’s this for a refreshing statement? – “We started Etiko way back in 2005 after
nding that, no matter how hard we tried we couldn’t buy stu such as sports balls,
clothing and footwear, which we could be 100% con dent hadn’t been made by a child
or some poor worker being ripped o in a developing country.”
Have you ever heard another company say that?
There are indeed many footwear companies which have been making e orts
(http://www.stopchildlabour.org/Stop-Childlabour/News-Items/Which-companies-arescoring-against-child-labour) to eradicate child labor and to monitor their factories, but
it’s still rare to see the issues of child labour and ethical manufacturing addressed so
plainly on their company websites. How much more exciting is it to work a good news
story into your purchase, rather than it existing as an after thought while we are
blasted by marketing that tries to take our mind o potential harm?
What’s more important is these are not just words on behalf of Etiko when they talk
about not ripping people o . It is not just more PR, or a business attempt to appeal to
current trends demanding “greener” products. The most impressive aspect of this
company is that they have actually followed through with their slogan of “wear no evil”.
That sounds like it should be easy, but anyone who has read or seen stories about
child labor, sweatshop res, or indentured laborers (i.e. the modern day slaves), knows
that this is no simple feat.
(http://goodonyou.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2015/05/IMG_9254.png)
Specializing in footwear, clothing, and
sports gear from their sister brand Jinta
Sport (http://jintasport.com.au/), Etiko is
innovative in that they have taken steps to
ensure fair treatment of their workers and
environmental responsibility in every
aspect of production. And I mean every
aspect. From the very, very beginning stage
of sourcing raw materials, Etiko exclusively
sources the cotton for its tees and sneakers
from organic certi ed farms. This means no
pesticides, no herbicides, no chemical fertilizers, and no genetically modi ed seeds!
While this alone saves the environment from dozens of pollutants and drinking water
contaminants, Etiko products are also certi ed by Global Organic Textile Standard
(http://www.global-standard.org/), which means there are added regulations in the
processing of their fabrics. This applies to the washing, bleaching, and low-impact
dyeing of their textiles and nal products, as well as the waste treatment of their
facilities. I told you, they don’t mess around!
Etiko is also certi ed Fairtrade (http://fairtrade.com.au/) and guarantees a livable wage
and labor rights for its workers in every aspect of production. As part of Fairtrade
standards (http://fairtrade.com.au/page/fairtrade-standards), there are strictly
enforced regulations which manufacturers must meet to protect their workers and the
environment. Not only are Etiko’s clearly outlined practices and claims veri ed by an
independent third party, being FLO accredited (http://www. ocert.net/ o-certcelebrates-its-10th-anniversary-and-a-decade-of-independent-fairtrade-certi cation/)
means the company gives back.
As Etiko grows and prospers, so do the farmers and workers’ communities and
families. The organisation charges a 15% premium for all of Etiko’s goods which then
goes back to the farmers and workers and – most mindblowing of all – is used in ways
that they themselves democratically decide. So far it seems their emphasis has been
on health-care, after-school programs and reducing the cost of food staples.
All in all, this company is a true rarity and hopefully a sign of what’s to come in the
future for consumers concerned about ethical shopping. I don’t think I’ve ever been
more impressed by a business’ e orts to responsibly treat the environment and the
people they owe their success to.
(http://goodonyou.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/IMG_9378.png)
Did I mention my new sneaks came in the mail? Fashionable and comfortable, you
would never know the di erence between them and a pair from a well-known brand.
That is, if it weren’t for the warm fuzzy feeling you get from knowing you shopped as
ethically and responsibly as it gets! Honestly, I’ve experienced that so called ‘shopper’s
high’ before, but wearing my new Etiko sneakers took it to a whole new level. Not only
was it fun to nd a new purchase, but I’m actually proud of myself, knowing just how
truly amazing this company is.
Article by Lindsay Schi hauer. Images by Daniel Barrie.