Komrads is Likely a Vegan Brand

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Komrads Brand Highlights

Based in Antwerp, Belgium, Komrads are formerly PETA-certified vegan sneakers made with fair labour in Portugal. They're made using recycled materials and innovative plant-based leathers, such as apple leather. They've partnered with transparency organization BCOME to provide themselves and consumers with details about the social and environmental impact of their sneakers.

About Komrads Vegan Sustainable Sneakers

"We pursue a NO-WASTE planet for future generations. We aim to use the resources we have - our innovative drive to create full-circle materials, our voice and our community - to create a no-waste planet." - Komrads team

Is Komrads an ethically vegan brand?

Komrads appears to be an intentionally and ethically vegan brand, rather than one that uses vegan materials out of convenience, or for other reasons. According to the brand, they aim to create "a sneaker that didn’t involve killing or harming animals."

What materials are used to make Komrads?

The materials used to make Komrad sneakers vary by model, but are always made of recycled and re-used materials. According to the brand, "it’s a PROMISE to produce a vegan sneaker entirely made out of recycled and reused materials, without having to harvest any natural recourses." Each shoe on their website will give an exact overview of the products used to make it, which generally include 100% recycled rubber (soles); recycled cotton & plastic bottles (laces); recycled plant-based carbon (removable insole); and apple leather, 100% recycled cotton, Seaqual recycled marine plastic, and/or recycled corn leather (uppers).

Are the materials used to make Komrads's shoes eco-friendly/sustainable?

From an environmentally-friendly materials standpoint, Komrads's shoes could be considered quite environmentally-friendly, as they incorporate so many recycled and re-used materials*, and are always trying to incorporate newer and increasingly eco-friendly materials. For example, they're the first company we've come across to not just use corn leather, but to use recycled corn leather. (*We can't say definitively whether or not they use entirely recycled and re-used materials, as their APL collection uses 40% synthetic resin and 5% PU for the uppers - we have asked for clarification from the Komrads team and are awaiting reply).

Does production of Komrads shoes produce a lot of emissions?

Komrads has partnered with BCOME to provide consumers (and themselves) with data related to their environmental impact, which shows that their shoes have a very low environmental impact compared to most, in terms of their water usage, CO2 production, P04 production, and amount of waste generated. You can see their scores on each individual shoe's product page on their website.

Does Komrads use green shipping methods?

It's unclear from their website if Komrads uses net-zero or negative emissions shipping partners, either domestically or internationally. We’ve asked them for clarification, and are currently awaiting reply.

Does Komrads use eco-friendly packaging?

According to Komrads, their shoes come wrapped in recycled tissue paper in a recycled cardboard shoe box to protect them in transit. The box is then encased in a recycled shipping box.

Are Komrads shoes recyclable or compostable?

It’s unclear from the information available on their website if Komrads’s shoes are recyclable or compostable. We’ve asked for clarification from the Komrads team, and are currently awaiting reply.

How should I dispose of my worn out Komrads shoes?

We’ve asked the Komrads 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, 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 Komrads shoes?

Komrads shoes can be purchased from their website, from their social channels, or from a half-dozen or so retailers in Belgium and The Netherlands.

Do Komrads shoes ever go on sale?

Komrads will email you a discount code if you subscribe to their newsletter when visiting their website.

Are Komrads sneakers ethically made?

Yes! Komrads sneakers are made in Portugal, which means their labourers are protected by the stringent labour laws of the European Union, which also include strong health and safety regulations. Above and beyond that, Komrads's factory obtained a certificate of self-assessment with the Higg Index from the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. This certificate covers topics like water usage, carbon emissions, and labour conditions, so that consumer goods brands, retailers, manufacturers, governments, NGOs, and consumers can improve their sustainability strategies. 

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

Komrads incorporates several elements of a circular economy/slow fashion model (among the most we've seen in a footwear brand, in fact), such as: having products available by pre-order (which can help reduce over-production); employing fair labour; using recycled materials; tracing the impacts of their products to improve upon it; and using recycled packaging materials. According to their transparency report partner BCOME, they score "95% - Honors - Best closed loop initiatives" in the "Circularity" category.

Is Komrads a charitable company?

We’ve asked the Komrads team about any charitable initiatives they're involved with (if any), and are currently awaiting reply, as there is no such information available on their website.

Komrads Product Range

Komrads makes low-top, mid-top and high-top sneakers for men and women in both leather-look and canvas styles. Komrads sneakers come in a variety of styles and colours, ranging from monochromatic leather-look sneakers, to multi-coloured canvas sneakers.