Start-Rite launches vegan children’s shoes

According to children’s footwear specialist Start-Rite, the UK non-meat market is now worth £740 million ($1.03 billion), and more Britons than ever before are choosing a vegan lifestyle. As the company highlights, it is therefore not surprising that in the first five days of ‘Veganuary 2021’ (an annual challenge run by a UK non-profit organisation since 2014 to encourage people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January), there was a reported 63 per cent spike in online searches for the phrases ‘vegan leather’ and ‘eco-friendly’. Enquiries from Start-Rite customers interested in vegan-friendly shoes have also increased.

This growing movement has undoubtedly contributed to Start-Rite’s decision to create a new vegan-friendly school shoe collection featuring synthetic uppers to support customers who are looking for a vegan-friendly product. It is available in a number of boys’ and girls’ styles that are proven best-sellers or long-standing lines. The school shoe collection utilises adhesives with no animal content and features an upper material said to mimic the natural characteristics of cowhide. This material is marketed as being lightweight, breathable, durable and water-resistant, yet has passed rigorous testing for such characteristics as surface abrasion and wet and dry flexing.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 24 of the March 2021 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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