This week is the Fashion Revolution Week that we also take part in.
Fashion Revolution is a global movement that celebrates fashion as a positive influence and raises awareness of the fashion industry's most pressing issues.
Fashion Revolution Week is the campaign that falls on the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse. The collapse killed 1,138 people and injured many more on 24th of April 2013.
The campaign encourages people to ask "Who Made my Clothes" and demand greater transparency in the fashion supply chain. The purpose is also to raise awareness and answer all the questions our customers may have.
Terhi Pölkki shoes are made locally in a small family-owned factory in Sao Joao da Madeira, Portugal. All components are locally sourced nearby the factory. We use mainly OakLeather products made in the Carvalhos Group ecological range of leathers.
To define the OakLeather range we need to consider two ecological guidelines: the production process and the product itself.
The production process minimises the environmental impact reducing water consumption and chemical charge in the effluents and its recycling. It also reduces solid wastes as fertilisers, using natural drying of the leather at room temperatures and the reduction of volatile compounds emissions.
In order to achieve an ecological product the raw materials (fresh Iberian hides) must be cold storage, without any other preserving agents, a chrome and metal free tannage (wet-white). Along with the use of metal free dye stuffs and water based finishes. All the OakLeather range is prepared to obtain the Chrome Free and Metal Free certification.
Terhi visits the factory always in the beginning of a production and a new collection. During the visit she chooses every single material that will be used in the upcoming collection.
We value sustainability and quality in everything that we do. For us it was really important to find partners that share the same values with us.
All of our shoes are handmade in Portugal. The artisans have years of experience and they are committed to the high quality of craftsmanship.
Meet Regina
Regina is part of the family that runs the factory. She is the "magic maker" aka pattern cutter so she is the first one to work with the new developments.
Meet Carla and Cristina
They who both work at the stitching section in the factory. They both have been working for the brand several years now.
Meet Jorge
He lasts the uppers and attaches the soles. Jorge has years of experience in shoemaking.
This is only a part of our amazing team. Each shoe is handcrafted at a family owned shoe factory, which is committed to sustainability as well as offering good work conditions for employees along with quality of craftsmanship.
Read more about Terhi's day at the factory here.