So iLL

So ILL Brand Overview

Based in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, So iLL is a brand that sells rock climbing shoes and accessories, as well as clothing related to the climbing lifestyle (including a line of lifestyle footwear). They are transparent about the materials used in their sandals and lifestyle shoes, but not very transparent about the materials used in their climbing shoes (other than saying that they're 'vegan friendly), nor with where their shoes are made.

About So iLL

"The So iLL (Southern Illinois) brand began on the porch of my college rental house. My brother and I were climbing in the attic in the evenings on a small home wall we had built and pouring holds (by hand) at the kitchen table during the day." - Dan Chancellor, So iLL Founder

What materials are used to make So iLL shoes?

So iLL does not provide a great amount of detail regarding what their climbing shoes are made of (aside from that they are currently vegan-friendly), other than saying they contain "dark matter rubber." For their lifestyle shoes, they are made of 100% organic cotton upper with water resistant coating, a 30% BLOOM resin insole (an alternative to synthetic and petrochemical EVA foams) with a top layer of cork, and a rubber outsole. For their flip-flops, they use an EVA foam footbed with a molded rubber outsole.

Are their shoes eco-friendly/sustainable?

It's difficult to assess the eco-friendliness of So iLL’ footwear, as we don't know the exact composition of their shoes, and cannot find any relevant data on their website. Generally speaking, however, vegan leathers (as used in their climbing shoes) are less harmful to the environment that animal-derived leathers - this is backed up by data from inside the fashion industry as well as outside. For the data, please see Collective Fashion Justice’s CIRCUMFAUNA initiative.

Does production of their shoes create a lot of CO2 emissions?

From a carbon footprint standpoint, it's difficult to asses the impact that So iLL has, and what they do to remediate it. The brand does not currently provide data as to their environmental impact or remediation efforts, so it's difficult to accurately asses them in these areas.

Do So iLL use 'green' shipping methods?

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

Do they use eco-friendly packaging?

Yes - according to the brand, "In an effort to cut down on single-use plastics, our packaging materials are plastic free and recyclable."

Are So iLL shoes recyclable?

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

Where can I buy So iLL climbing shoes?

So iLL shoes can be purchased from their website, and can be shipped worldwide. They can also be purchased from their Amazon store, as well as from dozens of climbing gyms and outdoor gear/specialized retailers globally.

Do So iLL shoes ever go on sale?

Yes - there’s a “Sale” section of their website, and we noticed sales in the area of 40-50% when we visited.

Where are their shoes made?

There’s no information available on the So iLL website with regard to where their shoes are made. We’ve reached out to their team for details, and are awaiting reply.

Are they made with fair labour?

On their website, So iLL does not make mention of where their shoes are made - as such, it's difficult for us as an outside, non-certifying 3rd party to verify whether or not they ensure their factory enforces all international and local labour laws, regulations and fair working standards to provide a safe and fair working environment for their workers. We've reached out to them for clarification, and are awaiting reply.

Does So iLL promote ‘slow fashion’ or a ‘circular economy’?

Aside from using recyclable and plastic-free packaging and incorporating organic cotton in their lifestyle shoes, it's unclear which slow fashion (ethically made, long-lasting, small batch production) or circular economy principles they follow as a brand.

Is So iLL a charitable company?

The Founder of So iLL is also the Founder of the non-profit organization 1Climb, which seeks to introduce 100,000 kids to climbing.

Is So iLL an ethically vegan brand?

It's not likely that they are, as when we asked them if their shoes are free from animal-derived materials and ingredients (such as in the glues), they told us that in the current line they are, which could mean that future lines might contain animal-derived materials (we've reached out to them to find out more). In addition, brands that are ethically vegan tend to support animal-related charities, whereas So ILL does not.

So ILL Product Range

Sold in a mid-range price point, So iLL makes rock and indoor climbing shoes, as well as sneakers and sandals. Their sneakers and sandals have a casual, street style, with the sneakers having an aggressive rubber sole, and interesting and stylish canvas textures. Overall, their current footwear lineup includes: