The shoes are designed in Cholet, France. This region is known as one of the baking mats of French shoemaking, where craftsmanship is kept alive. The leather from which the shoes are made is tanned near Toulouse, France. This is very nice since here we can assume that safe and ethical working conditions are maintained, which is not a given at tanneries. Then the shoes are assembled in a family workshop (86 employees) near Tunis in Tunisia.
Easy Peasy chose Tunisia because there is a lot of knowledge about leather goods here. The brand says they would have liked to produce in France but they wanted to sell their products at a reasonable price and it was not possible this way. Moreover, the workshop has the same values for people, climate and quality as Easy Peasy, according to them. Moreover, the workshop is implementing the ISO 9001 standard, which certifies that workers are managed with respect and quality. They recently received Social Audit certification from an independent auditing company.
The shoes are made of vegetable tanned leather. That is, natural substances such as leaves and bark have been used in the leather processing so that the hide stays beautiful for a long time and does not rot. So they do not use harmful chromium, but mimosa (a French tree with yellow flowers) quebracho (bark of a South American tree species, used for tanning the lining) instead. Each of these materials has special properties.
The exact composition of the shoes varies from model to model. One consists of 100% leather, some have a rubber sole and others are like this. The insole is made of natural rubber wood for comfort and insulation, encased in leather. It is removable so you can easily clean the shoes. The outsole is made of suede leather with natural crepe padding. The lining of the slipper is unpainted and anti-allergic leather, safe for bare feet! The sole is glued into the shoe with water-based glue so it is not a danger for your little one. The rubber that some shoes contain is 100% vegetable rubber, made from virgin rapeseed and soybean oil.
All slippers and shoes are sold in a recyclable cardboard box and come with an organic cotton tote bag. This cotton has been verified by Ecocert but exactly what certificate is attached is not specified.
Easy Peasy’s shoes made of 100% leather are basically recyclable. With those made of composite materials, this is more difficult. Currently, Easy Peasy does not use recycled materials in the shoes themselves.
The packaging in which the products are sold consists (in part) of recycled materials and is also recyclable again. Some gift boxes have a plastic window, this part you can throw away in the plastic waste.
The design process and leather tanning, both happen in France, production then takes place in Tunisia and then the finished shoes go to the logistics center in Lyon (France).
There is only 1,400 km of distance between the design office and the workshop in Tunisia. This distance is covered by sea and land, never by plane. They use the “groupage” method to efficiently ship the orders between factory and logistics center and also between the stores where they sell to reduce their carbon footprint.
Easy Peasy loves animals and honors them in almost all of its collections, whether pets or endangered species. With this, the brand wants to teach children something about different animal species and make them aware of the importance of protecting animals and nature.
1% of annual sales is donated to an organization that protects biodiversity, to contribute to protecting and restoring natural habitats of endangered species. This is how they worked with the global nonprofit IFAW in 2022.
However, all of Easy Peasy’s shoes are made of leather, a material for which animals must be killed. Which animals this leather comes from is usually not mentioned, except for a few sheepskin shoes, and what kind of life they had is unknown. Because of this, the brand is not vegan.
Easy Peasy’s adorable designs will always be a fun addition to your little one’s outfit. The brand makes shoes in sizes 17 to 33, making them suitable for toddlers and preschoolers. Because children grow out of their clothes and shoes quickly, it is important for sustainability that the shoes get a second life through a second-hand store or pass them on to another child.
The shoes are sturdy and specially designed so your baby can use them to learn to stand and walk around the house. They are non-slip, suitable for all types of floors and, of course, offer comfort.
Easy Peasy conveys its story transparently. They clearly explain why they make certain choices around sustainability and production. They even invite you to stop by the headquarters if you visit the Maine-et-Loire region! However, where the leather comes from, and in which exact factories the tanning and production is done, is not known. So in terms of transparency, Easy Peasy can still improve.
Looking for durable shoes for your baby’s first steps? Or a nice maternity gift? Then the baby shoes in animal shapes from French brand Easy Peasy are perfect for you!
