Environmentally Friendly Resources
Rubber
When the materials used to manufacture running shoes are 99% plastic Polymers, which are 99% petroleum-based. Our society’s dependence on plastic and oil will end up as an ecological disaster. That’s why we look to provide alternatives. Currently, it takes up to 3 plastic bottles to create a Voolay shoe. Product production is produced in Peru, in a mutual partnership with environmental protection groups. Our soles are created from 100% Amazonian rubber. This rubber was certified in 2019 thanks to the support of Voolay to improve the living conditions of the rubber tappers and protect the Amazonian Forest.
More than 2000 tons of Amazonian rubber have been purchased from 2007 till the end of 2021. We buy 4 times the market price. This material is used in the sole of every sneaker. We buy the rubber directly from cooperatives formed by families of rubber tappers. Supporting producer families, we guarantee the quality of the materials we use in our sneakers and provide them with good working and living conditions.
The Amazon is the only place on Earth where rubber trees grow in the wild. Brazilian rubber tappers harvest the rubber used in Voolay soles. The people of this country live in the forest and depend on it for survival. During rubber season as soon as April. Eventually, they will make their way through the forest. This process allows the trees to regenerate. On average, each harvest totals 600kg of rubber per season. We work with 180 producers and built a monitoring system to analyze deforestation rates and provide bonus payments for families that are conserving the Amazon Rainforest. With our team, we have found ways with the farmers’ representatives how to achieve the right value for both producers and cooperatives.
Cotton
Since Voolay’s launch in 2003, we have purchased close to 900 tons of organic cotton directly from our producers. 100% of our cotton comes from the country of Brazil. Cotton produced in Brazil is certified organic according to American standards in certification.
Most of the cotton around the world produced every year, comes from intensive cultivation of single crops. Because of the unrestricted uses of irrigation practices and massive quantities of pollutants, the environmental impact of this kind of industrial farming is damaging to our environment. We make sure to limit the use of inks and printing to reduce their impact and ensure recyclability. Since Voolay’s launch in 2003, we have purchased close to 900 tons of organic cotton directly from our producers. 100% of our cotton comes from the country of Peru. Cotton produced in Perul is certified organic according to American standards in certification.
Our cotton is harvested without any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Afterward, it is grown with other crops such as corn, and rice. As a result, it is then picked by local growers and sent to the manufacturers for Voolay use.
The process of cultivating cotton is strenuous in itself, and we like to provide our customers with the proper information on how our products are created. Be sure to check any videos on the page, as they provide an in-depth look at how we collect our resources.
