Genesis Footwear

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 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.

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. 

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 created 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

The pairs are only printed with water-soluble colours.

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.

Genesis Footwear demonstrates commendable circular business practices throughout its production process.

The brand uses recycled materials and upcycled materials. Parts of some Genesis sneakers are even made from upcycled military goods! 

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 synthetic materials, including recycled tyres and other artificial 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.

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.

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. However, they’re not fully vegan, as some sneakers incorporate fibres made from oyster shell by-products. These shells, which don’t decompose, are otherwise environmental waste.

The brand tries to clearly indicate which sneakers are vegan for customers who prioritise animal-free products.

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

Interestingly, their production is relatively 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.

Genesis Footwear showcases exceptional 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.