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Getting to start a company that makes a positive impact was a dream scenario turned into a business model for Nisolo founder Patrick Woodyard. During a trip to Peru he was inspired by artisans crafting leather shoes by hand. A co-founder and five years later, he launched Nisolo, a line of sustainable boots in 2011.
Nearly a decade later, the brand has expanded its selection of leather goods and fit into its role as an ethical company well. They have achieved B certification, putting the brand next to other conscious lifestyle brands like Patagonia that balance profit with purpose. That means that they’ve tackled issues like restructuring their factories around offering livable wages (versus the standard fair wages) and financial education services for their employees. “Ninty-three percent of brands don’t provide a livable wage for people who make their products,” Matt Stockamp, Nisolo’s sustainability lead, told me about the brand’s dedication to measuring their impact on their workers. “Why is it that fashion has had a negative impact on people in the past and what can they do to address those impacts?”
On the environmental front, Nisolo has consciously upgraded how they produce and dispose of items like their sustainable Chelsea boots to promote a fully circular model. To begin with the leather is a byproduct of the meat industry. They’ve also partnered with organizations like Soles 4 Souls to collect 52,000 pairs of shoes to date as a way to upcycle used Nisolo shoes.
Taking a call from his seaside home in Venutra California, where he enjoys surfing, composting and supporting local B-corporations, Matt shared how Nisolo achieves these sustainable goals. And, we took a few notes.
Where: Sustainable Tanneries in South America
First, let’s get the controversial word out of the way. Leather. It brings up a lot of questions concerning animal welfare, sustainability, waste, water usage and gas emissions. Nisolo addresses some of these issues by only using leather that is a byproduct from the meat industry and would otherwise be wasted or burned in a landfill. When it comes to issues of waste or sustainability, Matt explains that the leather tanneries are certified and work with clean chemicals and treat the waste water. “We’ve shifted the majority of our supply chains to the best leather working group in Mexico. We also own and operate a factory in Peru.” he says that it’s been conscious changes like this have allowed the brand to be Climate Neutral Certified in July.
We’ve really focused on living wages, because we believe that if we do it in our own supply chain we can encourage others to do the same and create a long term impact. ~ Matt Stockamp
Who: Artisans Earning a Living Wage
The cost of living has risen, yet sometimes data hasn’t managed to keep up. In Peru, Matt explains that the brand initially calculated their wages for their factory workers to be 10% above the standard fair wage for that region. “But, with more research we saw that it was not an accurate livable wage by any means, so we stopped using that above fair trade wage language and started with living wages.” Through an organization called Accountable, Nisolo calculated a living wage baseline for a single individual without dependents. The experience has also changed how the company talks about wages. “Now, we talk about wages as a living wage where people can support their basic expenses and have discretionary income as well,” Matt says.
In 2014, the brand took it a step further with a financial education program to help employees have a better grasp on how to budget and save after they noticed that despite the major pay increase social workers documenting employees’ livlihood weren’t observing any major changes. “They [social workers] mostly saw that a lot of the people weren’t using those funds for savings.” Matt explains that a lot of employees were investing back into their community and giving their extra money to those in need. “They didn’t have the education that they needed to budget and save for the future and expressed a need and want about how to manage their finances,” Matt says. So, through an educational program factory workers were taught how to budget for expenses and savings while factoring in giving.
Where: Diversity & Community In Nashville
“The fashion industry has a big impact on women of color.” Matt acknowledges one of the reigning problems with the industry, not only for production overseas, but also in the U.S. From models to designers, women of color have struggled to be heard, seen and paid fairly in the fashion industry. While there has been some hedge way made to remedy this, in part due to the Black Lives Matter movement, there is still work to be done. “We’ve worked on an anti-racism plan,” Matt explains that the plan highlights initiatives such as donating to Black Lives Matter monthly and acknowledging the historically Black business district where Nisolo’s headquarters are located. “We have a lot of opportunities as a brand to create other opportunities in our community. And, this plan will be a continued pillar in the business.” Matt says that part of this will include championing local black-owned businesses.
When: The Covid Impact On A Small Brand
“Before [Covid-19] we had 120 people in our factory,” Matt notes that when the lock down restrictions first began Nisolo paid their workers severance. But, after months of lock downs the company has had to made difficult decisions. “We’ve had to shrink our team down to 40 people and raise money for those that we can’t bring back at this time,” he explains.
A social worker has been visiting former employees to ensure that they’re okay. These assessments have been critical to help them determine how they can best assist their employees. “For instance, they’ve helped us learn that one of the producers has children and this is how much his family spends on utilities and food per month.” Empowered with information such as this, Nisolo was then able to reach out to investors to fund raise internally. “It was exciting to seem them invested in the social well being of the people that we employ,” Matt explains.
What: A Sustainable Supply Chain
As mentioned before, Nisolo works towards a closed-loop cycle to ensure that waste is minimized. First the brand uses leather that would otherwise be waste. Yet, when it comes to other materials that are used in their shoes, the Nisolo team is actively seeking out the most sustainable route. And, after connecting with Ricky Lupp, Sr. Product Manager, it’s apparent that the brand is adamant about being transparent with their customers about both their sustainable progress and goals. “Currently, some of our laces, hardware and the rubber soles on our shoes are not made of sustainable materials,” he says.
“When we can’t find something as sustainable as we would like in our supply chain we generally respond in two ways: 1. How can we use this to create less waste and it make it as durable and long lasting as possible. 2. How can we support and improve the supply chain?”
He admits that the brand is still learning and sharing what they’ve learned about sustainable supply chains and production along the way. To tackle some of the sustainable issues with the other materials in their shoes Nisolo is currently collaborating with Extralight a company researching and developing sustainable foam and rubber replacements.
Read more about living wages:
How Does The Fair Labor Act Protect Garment Workers?
The Humanity Behind Our Clothes: Why Ethical Fashion Matters
