Nisolo of Nashville is one of the pioneering social impact fashion brands. Their founder Patrick Woodyard’s goal is to ‘push the industry towards greater sustainability’ – an ambitious goal for such a young company, having only opened in 2011. Nisolo is now making strides toward this goal and helping their mission to come to fruition.
Nisolo footwear is produced exclusively in Trujillo, Peru by local shoemakers who would not have access to global markets without Nisolo’s model. Their fair trade pricing strategy allows them to pay producers 33% above minimum fair trade wages; furthermore they publish wages publicly by publishing them on their Sustainability Facts Label similar to Food Nutrition Labels on food products; additionally their financial literacy training program has ensured 100% of producers now possess bank accounts – something unheard of four years ago!
Nisolo defies the stereotype that ethically sourced goods may not meet high-end fashion goods in terms of quality and functionality, with co-founder and Head of Design Zoe Cleary working closely with artisan groups to design shoes to meet high standards of quality, functionality and fit.
Because they value their workers, consumers and the planet equally, they take several measures behind-the-scenes to ensure their supply chain runs efficiently. They work with a climate neutral company to offset their carbon footprint; use vegetable dyes when tanning leather; avoid deforestation by supporting sustainable land management practices and more.