Sylth Virago is Likely a Fully Vegan Brand

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Sylth Virago Brand Overview

"We pledge to never use animal hides, furs or by-products in any of our materials of manufacturing processes, including all dyes and adhesives. We not only care about animal life and well being but we also recognize that livestock production is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and reducing usage helps the fight against global warming." - Sylth Virago team

About Sylth Virago

"Sylth Virago was founded in 2019 by friends Danielle Goldman and Athanasia Diamantis-Svec. Fashionistas and animal lovers alike, they searched in vain for a greater variety of gorgeous products that were created ethically; without harm to animals or the environment. Realizing they had an opportunity to start something great, they brought along designer, Kyle Blackmon whose design pedigree infuses the SV brand with one-of-a-kind designs, strong silhouettes and invaluable industry experience." - Sylth Virago team

Is Sylth Virago an ethically vegan brand?

Sylth Virago is an intentionally and ethically vegan brand, rather than one that uses vegan materials out of convenience, or for other reasons. According to the brand, their goal is to "Create beautiful products with the goal of seeing animals taken out of the production line in fashion and beyond."

What materials are used to make their footwear?

Within each shoe's description on the Sylth Virago website it will list the main upper material used to make that shoe. For example, their Antigone heel says it's made of "a luxurious recycled cotton velvet with our brand symbol, a dagger, shaped into a 115mm heel outfitted with our flat rose gold logo cap." In general however, the brand uses the following materials:
-Insoles: Kiefer Von Zoe’s NPU Green Insole Boards that are made from natural cellulose fibre. These insoles are 100% biodegradable and created using only natural substances, no chemicals, no added adhesives, and no dyes. They are also Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) certified.
-Soles: Made from Davos Ecothunit outer soles that are 100% recyclable and made using a new ‘water painting’ system that allows for waste water pigments to be easily removed and the water to be reused.
-Uppers (velvet): Made with REACH-compliant Texpell Velluto Master velvet, which is made using a combination of viscose, cupro, cotton and polyester. Cupro is fiber derived from discarded cotton linter (bi-product of cotton industry) produced in a 'closed loop' which means the chemicals used can be extracted after and the water reused.
-Uppers (vegan leather - PU): Made with Giardini Sport Brush Super Soft T83 and Lite Line Calf materials. PVC-free and ISO 14001 (2015) certified.
-Uppers (microfiber): Future Sprint S microfibre, which is made of 50% Polyamide and 50% Polyurethane - partially derived from recycled industrial waste material.

Are their shoes and boots eco-friendly/sustainable?

From an environmentally-friendly materials standpoint, Sylth Virago's shoes and boots are at least somewhat eco-friendly, as they do incorporate recycled materials into their designs (as well as biodegradable and recyclable materials), and use materials with various eco-certifications. They also focus on durability, which is a key factor in sustainability. And while the virgin man-made synthetics they use in other models are generally considered worse for the environment than recycled synthetics, or natural materials, those virgin synthetic materials are still considered to be more environmentally friendly than animal-derived leathers (due to the inclusion of various toxic chemicals used in the tanning process, among other reasons). This is backed up by data from inside the fashion industry as well as outside of it. For the data, please see Collective Fashion Justice’s CIRCUMFAUNA initiative.

Does production of Sylth Virago shoes create a lot of CO2 emissions?

From a carbon footprint standpoint, it's difficult to asses the impact that Sylth Virago has, as they don't share any relevant data. However, the brand declares their shipping to be 'carbon-neutral,' as it donates $1.00 from every sale to tree planting organizations to, as Sylth Virgao puts it, "balance our carbon footprint."

Is Sylth Virago a charitable company?

Yes! According to the brand, "Each month we donate to animal rescue initiatives for the rescue and rehabilitation of animals in rural India."

What stores can I buy Sylth Virago shoes from?

Sylth Virago shoes are available from their website (although they can only be shipped within the United States when purchased from the site). They are also available from various online and brick and mortar boutiques in different countries - such as from Wolf and Badger - which may result in better shipping availability and rates.

Does Sylth Virago use ‘green’ shipping methods?

It's unclear from their website if Sylth Virago uses net-zero or negative emissions shipping partners, either domestically or internationally. However, they do donate $1.00 from every sale to tree planting organizations to balance their carbon footprint.

Do they use eco-friendly packaging?

We've reached out to the Sylth Virago team to get further details on this, and are awaiting reply.

Are Sylth Virago shoes recyclable or compostable?

According to the brand, "30% of the material is biodegradable," and their soles are completely recyclable. As for the rest of the materials, it's unclear whether or not it's recyclable. We've reached out to their team to get further details on this, and are awaiting reply.

How should I dispose of my old Sylth Virago shoes?

According to Sylth Virago, "In keeping with our sustainability promise we are in the research phase of developing a program to incentivize customers to ship their shoes to an offsite partner who would then responsibly dispose of the shoes in order to maximize the usage of our innovative materials, minimize overall waste and encourage second hand use of any salvageable portion of the shoe."
In the meantime, Get it Vegan recommends either trying to have them repaired, donating them to someone in need, or taking them to a clothing recycling depot (if available in your city), which can strip them down to their recyclable components.

Do their shoes ever go on sale?

When we last visited their website, Sylth Virago had many of their models on sale, some of which were up to 50% off.

Where are their shoes made?

Sylth Virago shoes and boots are made in Portugal and Italy, with their materials also coming from Italian suppliers.

Are Sylth Virago shoes made with fair labour?

Yes! Sylth Virago shoes are made in Italy and Portugal, which means their labourers are protected by the stringent labour laws of the European Union, which also include strong health and safety regulations.

Does Sylth Virago promote ‘slow fashion’ or a ‘circular economy’?

Sylth Virago incorporates several elements of a circular economy/slow fashion model, such as: employing fair labour; incorporating bio-degradable materials; using some recyclable materials; using high-quality materials; avoiding discount-level pricing; making timeless styles; making a small product line; having a shoe repair program; contributing to re-forestation efforts; and sourcing their materials close to where their final products are produced.

Sylth Virago Footwear Range

Sylth Virago makes luxury women's boots and heels, mainly with an elegant, leather-look aesthetic. Some of their designs feature a velvet look, while others offer such design flair as a slouchy/crinkled look. Their footwear is made in timeless styles with modern touches, and sells at a high-end price point. Their current lineup includes: