SUSTAINABILITY

Walking barefoot connects us to the ground and lets us experience the world in a unique way. In the following you will find our commitment to protecting our planet.

Groundies shoes are made to the highest quality standards in selected factories in the EU. With their unique TrueSense® Sole, a pair of Groundies will give you a sensory response to the varying surfaces you walk on, a feeling of connectedness to earth, stimulating body and mind.

Our goal is not only to enhance the wellbeing of our users but also the wellbeing of our planet. In this light, sustainability is not only paramount but should be a given for everything we do.

Sustainability as a Process

Sustainability as a process of continuous development.

Materials

Use of high quality and durable materials – more feeling, less material

European Production

Sustainable work places and environmentally sound production.

Logistics

Short transport routes and transparent supply chains.

Quality & Longevit

Quality workmanship and choice of materials

Climate Neutral

Transparent footprint and CO2 offsetting

Sustainability as a Process

Physical production goes hand in hand with usage of different raw materials and energy. While we are working hard at minimizing our footstep we acknowledge that full sustainability is a process which will require our continuous attention and effort and that our journey is by far not over. Therefore we have decided to transparently disclose our CO2 consumption and to carbon offset our entire organization including production. We are happy to be able to call ourselves a fully certified climate neutral enterprise.

Quality & Longevity

For us, quality is one of the key points of sustainability. This includes quality of craftsmanship, quality of materials as well as durability. Our shoes are produced in selected production facilities in Portugal with who we have established long lasting relationships. Each pair is handmade by expert craftspeople and quality checked before being released.

We only use high quality materials that are perfectly matched to the respective purpose of the shoe and, where possible, are sourced locally. This includes soft European leathers as well as luxurious yet hard-wearing vegan alternatives. Our soles are made of a special composition which reduces abrasion to a minimum. All this means that your Groundies should give you enjoyment for a long time. This is one reason for having decided to give our soles a warranty of up to three years against abrasion.

Materials

When it comes to materials, our aim is that you can slip into your Groundies without loosening the lacing. The shoes should feel light, flexible and comfortable and allow your foot to move freely. Ideally, you will never want to take them off again!

All our materials have been carefully selected and thoroughly tested. The uppers are light, buttery soft and elastic. For the lining we only use the most comfortable, breathable and non-slip materials. From our 2022 collection onwards all leather linings will be 100% chrome free.

European Production

The people that work for Groundies are integral part of our brand, be it in production, logistics or in our headquarters in Freiburg, Germany. That is why we strive to create a positive work atmosphere. Our Groundies shoes are entirely designed and made in the EU. This way, we ensure that the working conditions in production meet the highest standards and we can avoid unnecessary transport routes.

It goes without saying that all production facilities are regularly audited in terms of Labour standards, Health & Safety, Environment and Business Ethics.

Logistics

Our shoes are manufactured in the EU and we try to also source raw materials close to our production facilities, mainly in Spain and Portugal. Short transport routes reduce CO2 emissions and make supply chains transparent. We are proud to employ our own logistics and warehousing teams who help us ensure environmentally sound transportation. At the same time we can assure fair and social work conditions.

Climate Neutral

While we continue on our journey of becoming more and more sustainable our economic activity still leaves behind a footprint. That is why we have made the commitment to make the production of our shoes as well as our processes more climate friendly.

To make this process transparent and effective we have teamed up with ClimatePartner. This organization helps us to analyse and reduce our CO2 emissions and to realize direct climate action.

One measure that we support is the Madre de Dios project, which focuses on protecting the virgin rainforest in Peru from deforestation. This project helps to preserve and sustainably manage a 100,000 hectare forest area. This will save 660,000 tons of CO2 per year. In addition, fair jobs and numerous educational opportunities are created.