Ethical Practices and Sustainability

At Sargasso & Grey, we endeavour to minimise the detrimental environmental impact of our supply chain as much as possible. We source most of our shoes from Spain, using road haulage for delivery. Fewer miles covered, and less fuel consumed, means less pollution. We plan our factory orders so that we have fewer deliveries, to reduce additional transportation, whilst ensuring that our stock inventory remains healthy.

Our shoes are made by expert shoe manufacturers in long-established family companies with a reputation for creating exquisite high-quality footwear. They employ local workers and abide by all EU employment laws.

For our Spanish-made shoes, all materials are sourced from other Spanish companies who also manufacture their goods in Spain, so they know how and where the materials (leather, heels, soles, insoles) are sourced. Our shoe factories use sustainable, chrome-free materials, and materials admitted by the EEC. They are also enrolled in SEDEX which is one of the world’s leading ethical trade service providers, working to improve working conditions and global supply chains.

There are arguments for and against the use of leather to make shoes. Those in favour argue it is a by-product of the meat industry and therefore to not use it for making goods would be wasteful. The counterargument is that animals take up grazing space, cows emit harmful gases, and the process of dyeing the skins uses energy and resources. Whilst some brilliant leather alternatives use natural cork, pineapple fibres and even apple and orange skins, the overwhelming majority of leather alternatives are often made from highly polluting plastics. PVC, a common choice for fashion and footwear, is one of the most dangerously toxic materials around.

We use leather for our shoes because it is safe for skin and is soft and flexible, making it comfortable and practical to wear. It is a natural material which means it is absorbent and won’t make feet sweaty. We also use leather because it is durable. We source all of our leathers from suppliers that carry the Leather Working Group certification.

We hope that our customers will choose our shoes because they are looking for quality footwear, in timeless sustainable styles that will last them for years to come. Shoes that will remain current season after season.