INTERVIEW #4 HUMANS ARE VAIN

“Our sneakers are truly 100% sustainable and vegan. ”

What is Humans are Vain and why did you start the brand?

“The name comes from that humans are indeed vain. Consumers don’t care much about other things than our look. And on the other side the companies only care about profit. I found myself caught in the middle of those two vanity’s.”

I was feed up with the industry after working in London with various “so called” luxury brands. I wanted to work with better materials and production in Europe. The name comes from that humans are indeed vain. Consumers don’t care much about other things than our look. And on the other side the companies only care about profit. I found myself caught in the middle of those two vanity’s.

After several years in the industry I left and started my own brand. I spent a year just only working on the materials. There were a big shortage on better materials but I had to get the materials right before I could start designing. Vegan materials for example don’t form the same ways as leather, so another approach is needed. 

I launched the brand last year in November. It’s a very young brand still. The reaction has been amazing. And I want to develop the collection with more clean looking pieces. A lot of Swedish or Danish brands has a good style but they’re not being sustainable and vegan. Immediately, after our launch, places in Gothenburg and a few places in Stockholm have been contacting me and said they want our shoes. Many of them quite frustrated with the brands they we’re already collaborating with. 

My initial start was really about the materials and make it as sustainable as possible. I’m also working with Stockholm University to develop new technology for 3D printing. The whole idea is to turn textile waste from Sweden into 3D printed sandals and sneakers.  Within two years we want to do 3D printed shoes based on textile waste in Sweden. The advantage would be to print on demand with a lower production and overuse of materials in production line. A 3D printed shoe uses way less water for example. The digitalisation also comes with other advantages, such a digital app knowing your size and what to designed based on your foot size. 

Further, all of our sole on our sneakers are recycled rubber. The rubber could be a little bit different in each shoe. It can be completely varied which makes the shoe unique and this is something people have started identifying our brand with.

“Within two years we want to do 3D printed shoes based on textile waste in Sweden.”

What is your sustainability profile? 

“There’s around 120 processes in making one pair of shoes. You can have 20 different materials or components. It’s not enough just to change one material. ”

It’s about providing people with a better alternative. Providing shoes and products that are as sustainable as they can be. We are using the most innovating production methods and materials we can find. For us, it was about pushing the boundaries and it shouldn’t compromise the style either. All the aspects should be there. 

There’s around 120 processes in making one pair of shoes. You can have 20 different materials or components. It’s not enough just to change one material. It has to be everything. The stiffeners, glues, paddings, laces, insole boards etc.

I don’t use animal fat glues, I use proper Vegan glue. Unfortunately some of the brands claiming to be vegan are not! I have personally been in factories where the glue can still be from animal fat. With Vegan glue the production time can be much longer and more complex but this is what needs to be done to make a 100% vegan shoe.

Our sneakers are truly 100% sustainable and vegan. You can’t get any better than this and I’m trying to get all our sustainable and vegan credentials across to our customers so hopefully people will start to question other brands. 

The shoes are produced in Northern Portugal. We have our own quality control team within a walking distance of the factory. They check everything there. If you look at the conventional brands,  they might send their quality and development team to the factory on a regular basis. They fly there and that has an impact. If you’re working with the right factory and you let local people work for you, you don’t have to fly there all the time.

Portugal has great skills and I’ve been working with factories there for many years! 

What has been/and are the major challenges?

“We have our own quality control team within a walking distance of the factory. ”

Converting the mainstream consumer to more sustainable products. We are trying to convert that mainstream consumer to make conscious choices. Some are not willing to move away from other brands. People support on social media and so on but still might chose to buy a shoe from another brand like ours. That’s our hardest challenge, to change consumer behaviour. 

What has been/are the largest gains? 

The gain is definitely a feeling of wanting to rebel against the fashion industry. Is the biggest drive I have. I’m a really competitive person. Consumers shopping behaviour is also changing. People are moving away from stores and finding new market places. We want to be there and providing information of a better choice. I’ve been working with shoes for 20 years and I my drive and passion is to provide better products. I’m a vegan as well. All the harm done to the planet and so on, it’s just too much. The meat industry needs to decline, so using leather is not an excuse. Sweden is a good place. Sweden is more in contact with nature and it’s way more inspiring to work here. When I was younger I went backpacking and started surfing and diving which has driven me to wanting to clear oceans from trash and I have been able to do that by collaborating with several initiatives such as The Seaqual Initiative who collect plastic from the Mediterranean Ocean and also an NGO based in Smogen Sweden.  

“The gain is definitely a feeling of wanting to rebel against the fashion industry.”

What do you think needs to change now in the fashion industry to make it more sustainable? 

“Give consumers more information so they can make better choices”

It’s such a tough questions. It’s a beast. Everyone is in a different economic position. You need the fashion industry to do more even though they can’t reach the same level as I do. Just not only green washing. Give consumers more information so they can make better choices. Be more transparent, provide more choices and be less greedy. They should not be planning to sell 50% of the product while the other 50% goes into landfills. That decision making during production and ordering is something large brands needs to be conscious about. They should change the margin, change the orders and not treat people like idiots. If it’s sold out it’s sold out. Let people wait. 

In the top end of the industry, the expensive brands are sometimes doing thing as bad as the others. Just because it’s expensive it doesn’t mean it’s better for the planet. 

Then it comes to people and their budget, it’s their decision making on how much to spend on what, but give them the information and let them decide for themselves. 

It’s hard to control and know how products are being made. There are factories that are used in a way that they shouldn’t be used. Better regulations and with the help of digitalisation could provide more information on how it’s made. But it’s important to understand that a factory not reaching ethical standards can’t just be shut down, people work there and they need to feed their families. Production needs to be on a level that’s sufficient and fair. Some brands try to do ethical work but it’s not as easy as just shutting down. The reason why many factories are struggling with the ethical guidelines is because the brands still want to buy a cheaper product and will apply various discounts to further their own profit.  At the same time they want them to follow the guidelines. It’s impossible for the factory to follow both the guidelines and the harsh pressure on price!

What do you believe is “greenwashing” and what can producers and consumers do to avoid it?

“In this way Scandinavian style is good. Timeless and clean. ”

Just swopping one material isn’t being sustainable, what about the other 19 components in the shoe? 

It’s down to people and costumers to communicate. Ask more questions about the product. What’s gone into it, is it 100% vegan? Is that really the case? If they have nothing to hide they will answer fairly and honest. Last year I was in Italy at a material exhibition and there were people from a brand that I know. They said to one material supplier: “We need some recycled material for next season because it’s going to be trendy”. They see it as some kind of trend. It’s not a trend! It’s the way it should be. 

What would you advice consumers to do who seeks to create a sustainable closet and lifestyle?

I think to be a lot more conscious about the purchase. Fast fashion is built on people panicking and buying without thinking. Do more research about the brands and the products. Buy more timeless design. Steve McQueen, imagine him, everything about him was without time. If it would fit him, it’s a timeless product. 

In this way Scandinavian style is good. Timeless and clean.