Terra Plana named winner of The Observer's Ethical Fashion Product 2007 Award

Bermondsey-based ethical shoe company Terra Plana has won The Observer newspaper's Award for Ethical Fashion Product 2007.

Terra Plana's press and marketing person, Rosie Budhani, told us that "footwear is one of the most polluting industries in the world, so it's really important that we make the change."

Terra Plana is all about making light footprints with heavy designs. It has existed for 15 years but in 2003 was bought by Galahad Clark who is also behind a sister shoe company United Nude. Terra Plana's original focus was on healthy shoes made by artisans, but under Clark's ownership it has developed its own ethical manufacturing processes.

The brand uses chrome-free leather which is significant because currently 95% of all leather in the world is tanned via a method which uses heavy metal chrome which can turn into a carcinogen. Terra Plana's tannery uses a method called 'white line' which eliminates the need for chrome. Interestingly, lightness is also a core feature of Terra Plana shoes - the lighter things are, the easier they are to ship and have less of an environmental impact. Recycled materials are used throughout the ranges including leather car seat scraps, coffee bags, quilts, parachutes, shirts jeans and the latex used is sourced from the sap of the lactae hevea trees.

Terra Plana's designs are the work of a two man team, Ajoy Sahu and Asher Clark, known collectively as Raddisshme. As well as Terra Plana, Ajoy and Asher also design for Paul & Joe, DKNY and Kenzo. Together they've developed a distinctive stitching style which helps maximise the flexibility of the shoes as well as giving them a really strong signature look. There are some gorgeous design this season including the Taj (£75) which is actually stitched inside-out, the three-inch heeled and very striking Helena (£90) and for guys the Panther (£70), a shoe designed to make you feel barefoot as well as the Aqua (£85) which features an ultra thin, puncture proof sole.

Alongside its own ranges, Terra Plana produce a pioneering charity range, Sole of Africa, for Clarks and has also hooked up with recycled trainer brand Worn Again. The company has a design studio and production centre in the Guangzhou, China and strongly supports ethical production in China. A full statement on this will appear on the new Terra Plana website, launching later this week. According to Rosie, "it's all about transparency, communicating directly with the customer and showing them how the shoes are made on the website." Terra Plana is also very excited to be taking part in fashion trade show Bread and Butter and hopes that the award will help move its name into the mainstream. "We want to be used in regular fashion shoots, not just be marginalised into the 'ethical' features," she told us. With designs as good as this Rosie, that dream really should come true.

Words: Marian Buckley

www.terraplana.com

More info on The Observer newspaper's Ethical Awards 2007 here.