Genesis Footwear

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS

• Spain
• Malaysia
• China

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES

Genesis Footwear holds a BSCI certification, showcasing a strong commitment to ethical practices in their sneaker production. 

Companies with BSCI certification adhere to strict standards regarding workers’ rights, labour practices, and environmental impact. This includes ensuring fair wages, safe working conditions and prohibiting forced and child labour. BSCI also promotes workers’ rights to form unions and bargain collectively. 

The brand produces its shoes in Spain and Asia. Their Asian factory meets European work standards, offering women and men a balanced five-day workweek and equal pay. 

Genesis Footwear gives back to the causes that are near and dear to their heart. They donate some of their sales to charities such as One Earth – One Ocean EV., Surf Riders Foundation, and the Sea Shepherds Mission.

MATERIALS

• Corn-waste vegan leather 
• Vegan cactus leather
• Hemp Canvas
• Sugar cane suede leather
• Piñatex® (pineapple leaf leather)
• Recycled rubber
• Recycled cotton
• Bamboo fiber
• G‑Iduna oyster shell mesh
• rPET (recycled polyethylene)
• EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate)
• Rubber
• Cork

Genesis Footwear’s mission is to process only the highest possible percentage of recycled, sustainable, and environmentally friendly materials in their sneakers. 

The brand uses sustainable alternatives to traditional materials for their sneaker, like various vegan leathers made from corn waste, cactus, pineapple leaves and sugar cane suede leather. These choices not only use waste products but also reduce the reliance on synthetic and non-renewable resources. Read more about vegan leather here.

Their canvas sneakers are made with natural fibres such as hemp or banana. These materials are rapidly renewable, require little water, and grow without the need for harmful pesticides, making them a more sustainable alternative to conventional cotton.

Each sole of a Genesis sneaker is made of at least 40% natural rubber. Their coloured soles are comprised of natural rubber with 10% recycled material from old tyres and other rubber waste. They have a lower carbon footprint than traditional materials because they are made from waste products that would otherwise end up in landfills instead of raw materials. The insoles are made from a blend of cork residue from bottled cork production, which would otherwise be discarded. 

The shoelaces and seams are made from recycled polyester derived from post-consumer waste. Read more about rPET here. 

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS

The brand states their shoes are only printed with water-soluble colours. 

While Genesis emphasizes efficient production, there is no publicly available detail on water usage, chemical treatment, microplastics, or detailed dye/​bleaching protocols on their website.

PACKAGING 

All Genesis sneaker boxes are made from 100% recycled cardboard without using glue to make recycling easier.

The liner packaging for the Genesis sneakers is also made of 100% recycled cardboard without glue. Relying solely on water and heat, the shoe packaging receives its shape without adhesives or other chemicals. Additionally, the packaging is not printed.

The brand openly discloses where and how they source all their materials and how they compare against traditional shoe materials.

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN

The brand uses recycled materials and upcycled materials. 

The brand has a recycling program. Their website claims returned sneakers will be recycled or donated, depending on their condition. However, this claim raises questions about recycling methods, especially given the complex mix of materials in the footwear. Their shoes typically blend natural and artificial materials, including recycled tyres and other synthetic products, including vegan leather alternatives. The intricacy of these material combinations presents significant challenges in recycling, and to date, there are no widely recognised successful methods for completely recycling such diverse components. This lack of confirmed recycling processes for complex footwear materials casts doubt on the practicality of Genesis’ claim, warranting further investigation and transparency about their specific recycling or donation strategies.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS

No formal repair, resale, or rental model is offered.

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

• Production locations: Spain, China, Malaysia
• Genesis HQ is located in Duisberg, Germany

Genesis Footwear’s supply chain is extensive, yet it’s managed transparently with a thoughtful and strategic approach.

Some parts of Genesis sneakers are made in Spain, while others are produced in Asia. 

All Genesis sneakers from Asia are taken by train to Duisburg Harbor in Germany, just five kilometres from their headquarters. Duisburg Harbor marks the end of an 11,000-kilometer rail route starting from Chengdu, China, and passing through Kazakhstan, Russia, and Poland before reaching Germany. The trains return to Asia carrying German cars and other goods.

TRANSPORTATION

By choosing to have Genesis shoes transported by railway, they have chosen to pursue the most environmentally friendly option feasible, as transport by container ship pollutes the environment to a much higher degree. 

Genesis Footwear uses vegan-approved leather alternatives, emphasising their commitment to animal welfare. Some sneakers incorporate fibres made from oyster shell by-products. These shells, which don’t decompose, are otherwise environmental waste.

Ultimately, the brand states that all sneakers are vegan, with PETA certification.

PRODUCT DESIGN

• Vegan materials from pineapple, cactus, corn waste are used to create a ​“leather” like finish
• Mesh from oyster shell byproducts

Genesis Footwear aligns with slow fashion values by avoiding fast fashion’s fleeting trends and focusing on creating timeless, durable sneakers.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES

Interestingly, their production is quite small for sneaker industry standards, making only 500 pairs daily, showing their commitment to quality and ethical production over mass production. 

They also provide an extensive shoe care guide for each pair of shoes to ensure they last longer and stay in great condition.

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT

Genesis Footwear showcases considerate transparency in its business practices. They openly disclose all the materials used in their products and provide detailed information about the locations of their production facilities, including all the certificates they hold, ensuring customers are well-informed about what they’re purchasing.

TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESSES

Their Philosophy page, product listings, and certificate section discuss material sourcing, BSCI certification, carbon-efficiency claims, and charitable contributions. While there’s no itemised cost structure, the brand openly shares data about its production approach and material impact. In spite of this, no dedicated annual sustainability report is made available on their website.