Arche

Arche’s shoes are made in the Loire Valley in France. The brand has its own production workshop here, where it employs more than 70 artisans. This allows Arche to carry out all the production steps, from design to shoe manufacture, themselves. The brand values the expertise and knowledge of their employees and therefore offers a fair, safe and ethical working environment.

Arche shoes are made of leather. The brand uses calf or cow leather for most of its collection and some models are made of lamb or deer leather. To reduce their impact on the environment, Arche works with tanneries that are members of the Leather Working Group (LWG). LWG is an organisation that leather manufacturers can join for certification. In doing so, these manufacturers have to meet strict environmental requirements and are also audited for this.

Moreover, Arche only works with European tanneries, which guarantees that the tannery meets the environmental requirements of the European Union and the REACH standards. REACH stands for ​‘Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals’. This is a European directive that restricts the use of harmful chemicals.

The soles of the shoes are made of different types of rubber or latex. In part of the collection, the brand uses a sustainable, natural rubber made from the Hevea plant. In this, Arche collaborates with French supplier Reltex. The liquid Hevea rubber is harvested in South Asia and artisanally processed into shoe soles in France. This supplier also has the French EPV label (‘Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant’ – Living Heritage Company), which shows that French craftsmanship, quality and knowledge are maintained. 

Because natural rubber also has limitations in quality and applications, there are also shoes in the Arche collection with a synthetic rubber sole. Synthetic is made from petroleum-based chemicals and is therefore less sustainable, but often has a longer lifespan than natural rubber.

It is very difficult to develop circular footwear because shoes always consist of different components and materials. This is why Arche focuses mainly on extending the lifespan of their products. The brand uses high-quality materials and production techniques to ensure that the shoes can be worn for a long time. In addition, they offer a repair service so you don’t have to replace your Arche shoes even immediately in case of a defect.

Arche keeps their supply chain short by working with European suppliers in France, Italy and Portugal. The Arche production workshop is also based in France. Only the natural rubber comes from South Asia and is made into soles in France.

By having a short supply chain, Arche keeps more control over the quality and production of their collections. It also reduces CO2 emissions from transport and European suppliers ensure ethical production conditions.

Arche shoes are made from different types of cow, calf, lamb and deer hides. The French brand works with European leather producers for this purpose. This ensures that the suppliers comply with European Union environmental legislation, but unfortunately says nothing about the origin of the animals themselves. This lack of transparency is a problem throughout the leather industry, leaving Arche with little leverage.

Arche is committed to using high-quality materials and strives to produce comfortable, stylish shoes that are both functional, fashionable and long-lasting. The brand has some signature models that have been represented in its collection for decades, such as the Archette boots and Laius ballerinas. In addition, the brand launches around 50 new models and variations every season.

Arche offers a repair service for its customers. When your favourite Arche is in need of a refurbishment or repair, you can visit their repair service. Here, they refurbish your shoes including replacing soles, heels or other parts of the shoe. This repair service is available directly from the brand or through one of their outlets. This way, you can give your shoes a longer life and reduce your impact on the environment!

Arche loves clean, stylised lines in an extensive palette of vibrant colours. The shoes are designed to fit like a second skin. The soles are airy to give you the right support.

Arche provides information about their materials and in-house production workshop. Unfortunately, the brand does not name the producers and suppliers it works with. While the brand is reasonably transparent, there is still some room for improvement here.