Sustainability Initiatives | Forsake

Neutral by Nature

Forsake was born out of a love for exploring the great outside, from city streets to unmarked trails. We believe it’s our responsibility to understand the impact our operations have on the environment and commit to reducing that impact in meaningful and measurable ways.

We're Officially Climate Neutral

We’ve maintained net-zero emissions for our business since 2019. We do this through a three-step process:

1. Measure

To implement a change, you need to know where you’re starting from. That’s why we continue to measure and understand our carbon footprint. We continually review the impact of every element of our business, including sourcing materials, manufacturing and shipping, and employee operations.

On average, the carbon footprint of a pair of Forsakes was 26.4 kg CO2 in 2020, which represents an 11% decrease from 29.8 kg CO2e in 2019.

How does that compare? Burning a gallon of gasoline releases 8.9kg CO2 into the atmosphere.1 For a typical car commute, carpooling for two or three days would offset your pair of sneaker boots.

Source: 1 Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle | US EPA

It’s a common way to estimate the impact our actions have on the environment and climate change. To calculate it, you measure the amount of greenhouse gases generated by those actions, expressed in CO2e, or carbon dioxide equivalent, emissions.

We know, this stuff can get confusing. Carbon dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas, but other gases, such as methane, also contribute to climate change. The idea is to measure the impact these other gases have by equating them to how much CO2 would have the same warming effect.

2. Offset

We offset our footprint by purchasing carbon credits. That’s another way of saying that we invest in programs that help reduce global emissions. For 2021, our credits supported Envira Amazonia, a rainforest conservation project in Brazil that has been recognized for its biodiversity and community benefits. It directly protects about 500,000 acres from deforestation.

Remember learning about photosynthesis in your grade school science class? Well, through that process, plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turn it into sugar, which becomes part of the plant, and oxygen, which is released into the air. Soil also absorbs large amounts of CO2.

Protecting forests is crucial in the fight against climate change, not only because trees and soil absorb CO2, but also because the process of deforestation produces greenhouse gases. In fact, it accounts for 20% of global emissions. Envira Amazonia conserves a rainforest that was previously earmarked to become a large-scale cattle ranch. It’s estimated to neutralize more than 12.5 million metric tonnes of CO2e emissions.

3. Reduce

In a perfect world, the most durable sneaker materials would be easy to manufacture without doing any damage to the planet. We use leather throughout our product line because of its natural durability and waterproof capabilities. We also recognize that choice has an impact on the environment. We’re committed to sourcing leather exclusively from tanneries with a Gold rating from the Leather Working Group. These tanneries have gone through multiple audits of their facilities, waste management, emissions, and oversight. Over the audit process, they’ve reduced their energy use by up to 48%.

Durable Materials

BLOOM Footbed

BLOOM eco-friendly, algae-based EVA footbed that helps clean polluted water habitats.

LWG Gold Leathers

We incorporate the best green practices by working with suppliers who are on the forefront of responsible manufacturing.

High Quality Materials

The high-quality and durable materials we use ensure they stay on your feet and out of the landfill for longer.

Extend the life of your shoes and keep them looking fresh with our step-by-step Shoe Care guide.

Responsible Energy

Transporting goods from factories in Asia can take a toll on the environment. We’ve always opted for ocean rather than air freight to keep both our costs and emissions down.

100% Recyclable Packaging

We ship our single-pair boot orders to customers using 100% recyclable shrink wrap. This helps reduce our cardboard waste by 50% and reduces the shipping volume by 30%, resulting in fewer trucks on the road and fewer emissions in the atmosphere. Each box comes with a QR code sticker which will show you where to recycle your shrink wrap. Learn more about your options here.

We Proudly Ship Using UPS Carbon Neutral

UPS We proudly ship using UPS carbon neutral

In alignment with our commitment to our ongoing sustainability progress, we work with UPS to offset the climate impact of the shipment. UPS’s carbon neutral program supports projects that offset the emissions of the shipment’s transport. UPS has supported projects that include reforestation, landfill gas destruction, wastewater treatment, and methane destruction.

The carbon neutral option from UPS is verified by Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), an inspection, testing, and verification company. This means that you can have confidence in the UPS carbon neutral method. Additionally, their carbon offset process is certified by The CarbonNeutral Company.

Climate Neutral Certified

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