holster is a Fully Vegan Brand

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Brand Highlights

"Holsters are versatile but ideally, we are a fashion brand. They are not designed for marathon running, jumping or other high impact activities (slow dancing on the boardwalk under a full moon is okay).” - holster team

About holster

Founded by Ben Nothling and Natalie Miller in 2001, holster is primarily a vegan fashion brand, but makes efforts to incorporate environmentally-friendly materials into their designs, and into their packaging. They are a charitable brand, providing financial support and/or product donations to a variety of Australian charities in areas that align with animal welfare, empowering disadvantaged communities, children's welfare, and other social causes.

Is holster an intentionally vegan brand?

holster very much appears to be an intentionally vegan brand. In fact, according to the brand, "holster pursues partnerships with other vegan brands to synergise vegan efforts globally."

What materials are used to make holster shoes?

On their website, holster will give an overview of the materials used to make each shoe, within that product's description. In general though, holster footwear is made of a variety of natural, renewable, biodegradable materials such as cotton, jute and rubber, as well as synthetic/man-made materials, such as PVC, EVA foam, polyester (shoe laces), and PU foam. For a select range of sneakers, holster uses a yarn made of recycled plastic bottles. We've asked them what materials are used to make their glittery elements, and they told us that "most of our embellished/jewelled flats & sandals feature acrylic jewels, with others featuring glass/crystal jewels." They go on to say that "the glitter fabrics on our sneakers (such as Stardust) is acrylic."

Are holster shoes & sandals eco-friendly/sustainable?

Some of holster's shoes could be considered more environmentally-friendly than others. For example, some are made almost entirely of recycled plastic bottles, while others make use of natural materials, such as jute and cotton (although it's not clear if those materials are organic), and others still are made entirely of virgin Phase #3 PVC (which is recyclable). According to the brand, 65% of materials used in holster shoes can be recycled post-use and all of their shoes are REACH compliant. It's also worth noting that many of their shoes contain glitter and jewel embellishments that are acrylic, with some of their embellishments being glass/crystal.

Does holster use green shipping methods?

We’ve asked holster if they have any ‘green shipping’ methods in place, such as working with a net-zero emissions delivery partner, and they told us "not at this time."

Does holster use eco-friendly packaging?

Yes! According to holster, "all shoe boxes are recyclable, and our packaging is made from recycled materials where possible."

Are holster shoes & sandals recyclable or compostable?

According to the brand, 65% of materials used in holster shoes can be recycled post-use, while some of the materials, such as the jute used in their espadrilles, are biodegradable. holster also told us that the PVC used to make their Jelly sandals can be recycled.

How should I dispose of my worn out holster shoes?

We’ve asked the holster team if they currently have, or are developing, a shoe recycling program, and are awaiting reply. In the meantime, Get it Vegan recommends either trying to have them repaired (holster has their own shoe repair program), 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.

Where can I buy holster shoes?

holster shoes can be purchased from their website, from their social channels, from their flagship store in Queensland, Australia, as well as various stockists in Australia. They told us they also have distributors in various countries who sell their products online and in brick and mortar stores.

Do holster shoes ever go on sale?

Yes - there’s a “Sale” section of their website, and we noticed sales in the area of 10-75% when we visited. They also offer $20 off from your first purchase of $100 or more when you subscribe to their newsletter.

Where are holster shoes and sandals made?

On their website, there is no information available with regard to where holster makes its footwear. We've reached out to holster to find out where their shoes are made, and are awaiting reply.

Are holster shoes and sandals ethically made?

holster has informed us that their shoes are made in "various countries in Asia." As such, it's difficult for us as an outside, non-certifying 3rd party to verify if holster ensures its factory enforces all international and local labour laws, regulations and fair working standards to provide a safe and fair working environment for their labourers. On their website, holster claims to "utilise accredited manufacturers and work with ethical offshore suppliers who the CEO visits biannually." They go on to say that "no child labour is involved in the supply chain of any holster designs. On a weekly basis, holster team members oversee factory procedures to ensure the highest level of production standards are maintained."

Does holster promote ‘slow fashion’ or a ‘circular economy’?

Fashion seems to come before circular economy principles for holster, although they do appear to incorporate some of these principles, such as making use of recycled, recyclable and natural materials, using REACH-compliant non-toxic materials, and using recyclable packaging. There are several elements of their business model which are much closer to fast fashion than slow fashion however, such as not making timeless designs, working with wholesalers worldwide, and using virgin plastic materials.

Is holster a charitable company?

Very much so! According to holster, they "support fundraising for vegan (and other socially responsible) organisations by donating shoes or a percentage of our profits." Some of these organizations, past and present, include: Thread Together; The Australian Koala Foundation; World Animal Protection; Soles4Souls; World Vision Australia; and The Australian Red Cross.

Holster Product Range

holster focuses on women's fashionable shoes and sandals, while making some children's and unisex models. Their design aesthetic can be described as modern and playful, with their calling card being their dazzle and shimmery embellishments. Some of their designs are minimalist and more austere though, such as their black and white slide sandals.