Native Shoes has a Good rating because it intentionally innovates on its materials and takes responsibility for its emissions.
Native Shoes has created many materials intended to have lower emissions than conventional shoe materials, including innovative biobased materials. It publicly reports its emissions footprint, though its data transparency could be slightly improved, and has SBTi-approved emissions reduction targets, which is rare for a small brand. Native Shoes takes responsibility for the full lifecycle of its products by offering a 1-year warranty and a takeback program for downcycling and donation. Though it's a small brand with likely limited resources, we hope to see more information on its energy strategy and packaging materials in the future.
Commons couldn't find information on the overall proportion of materials this brand uses. For a small brand, we assume a mix of material types, though Native Shoes notes that it uses no animal products. Native Shoes has created many trademarked materials intended to have lower emissions and waste footprints. It also uses both lower emissions materials such as recycled cotton, recycled EVA, and recycled rubber, as well as some high emissions materials such as virgin EVA. Native Shoes doesn't use any leather in its shoes. Native Shoes uses some materials that are USA certified biobased. It doesn't share any plans for further improving its materials mix.
Native Shoes shares brief information on its energy strategy. It uses some renewable energy to power its corporate offices. Native Shoes has general targets for expanding its use of renewable energy. Native Shoes sources and manufactures its materials globally, which is standard practice in the textile industry.
Native Shoes shares its policy for responsibly sourcing its paper packaging products, but Commons couldn't find information on this brand's other packaging materials, if any. We assume smaller brands are using a mix of materials.
Native Shoes doesn't offer repair services or support. Native Shoes offers a 1 year warranty. It gives detailed care instructions for its products that can help extend product lifetime.
Native Shoes has a take back program called The Native Shoes Remix™ Project. This program accepts the brand's own shoes for downcycling or donation. Native Shoes shares details on how successful this program is at diverting items from landfills.
Native Shoes offers some products across multiple seasons but also releases new items seasonally each year.
Commons is still evaluating this brand's marketing emails.
Native Shoes has a series of sustainability blog posts about its climate strategy and initiatives, but these pages are hard to find on its website. Like many small brands, it doesn't release an annual sustainability report.
Native Shoes measures and publicly reports its product-level and company-level emissions in partnership with a third party. It includes a breakdown by scope and identifies its top driver of emissions. However, its data isn't properly labeled by year or scope, which makes tracking progress difficult. In its most recent update, its estimated emissions footprint was 10,836 tons CO2e.
Native Shoes has SBTi-approved emissions reduction targets for the medium-term (5-10 years), which is rare for small companies. However, it doesn't appear to have reported on its progress within the past year. Commons couldn't find evidence that this brand offsets any emissions.
Native Shoes publishes information about its supply chain partners, disclosing some geographic locations across Tier 2-3 (ingredient and packaging sourcing). It doesn't publicly share a supplier code of conduct, but does disclose other policy which prohibits forced or coerced labor. Native Shoes conducts regular audits of its supply chain partners, this helps mitigate human and environmental risk.
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