INTERVIEW #6 GREEN LACES
“We demand that the products are 100 percent vegan, that the production chain is 100 percent transparent with a strong focus on environmental and labour policies.”
Why did you start Green Laces?
“I have no investors and the first years I was completely on my own.”
Well, there are many things that I want to happen, and a lot of them I just do myself, since nobody else seem to do it. Green Laces was one of those things back in 2010. I had been a vegan for many years and I always had trouble finding great looking, durable, ethically produced vegan shoes. A day in December 2008 I searched the web for new shoes for myself and found out, as always, that I needed to order the shoes from overseas, which was risky business and pricy back then. I thought that there should be a market for a vegan shoe shop in Scandinavia too. At that point in time, I was doing a lot of soul searching and found myself in a place where I could be the one opening up such a shop. And so I did in 2010.
How do you pick your products and what to sell?
The look is everything. There are so many garments and shoes out there that are made to just cover skin or shield the soles of your feet. I have no desire of being a part of that industry. I’d like to try to build a store where you feel a close connection to the items you buy, to the people behind the design, to the cultures that influenced the creation of this item. The shoes and accessories I sell, along with the growing collections of active wear, underwear, art and lifestyle products, are carefully picked for their qualities and design. With that being said, we demand that the products are 100 percent vegan, that the production chain is 100 percent transparent with a strong focus on environmental and labour policies. We scan the market and have thorough conversations with the companies/designers before we make a purchase. Nowadays a lot of designers approach us first, since they like how we work, our vibe and they want to be represented on our shelves.
What has been and are the major challenges?
Surprise, surprise money! This is such a tricky thing for a person like me, a person who goes up in flames over an idea and cares very little about what comes next. This personality is not always great for a company manager. Also, many of the brands that I work with are small, just like me. They have to ask for cash up front, sometimes 6 months in advance, which has given me constant liquidity problems through the years. I have no investors and the first years I was completely on my own. A few years ago I went through very tough times with my family and I suffered from fatigue. That’s when it really showed that the money wasn’t coming in fast enough. But Green Laces survived, I am happier and stronger than ever, and now when the market is truly ready for us, I am super excited for the upcoming seasons.
“I have seriously the smartest, kindest, most ingenious customers on the planet.”
What has been and are the largest gains?
The relationship with the customers, my employees and the colleagues at Hökens gata 7. I have seriously the smartest, kindest, most ingenious customers on the planet. Many of the regulars have shared so many stories with me, helped me with painting walls, showing me new brands, telling their friends where to buy great shoes and teaching me useful business stuff. My employees and the women at Speakeasy Tattoo Parlour, who we share space with, are younger than me, skilled in so many areas that I know little of and the sharing, loving, supporting environment that we have gives me automatically new skills. And yes, I would say that this kind of network is making it easier to make money in the long run too.
What do you think needs to change now in the fashion industry to make it more sustainable?
“We need to pay attention to the details. Both as customers and producers. Where does this come from?”
We need to pay attention to the details. Both as customers and producers. Where does this come from? Do I need it? Could it be made in another way? Does this item do good? If the producers start to ask these questions when manufacturing products the products would be more energy efficient, more cost efficient and more beautiful. I cannot imagine that these questions are asked within a larger fast fashion company, by the look of what is being sold I mean. And if you ask these questions when going into a store, you will walk out with what you want afterwards. Either a really great quality purchase or empty handed. The really great purchase is what you want, the second best is empty handed. A bad product is a no purchase option.
What do you believe is “greenwashing” and what can producers and consumers do to avoid it?
Greenwashing to me is when you are trying to make the customer believe that they are doing a really great purchase as regards to the environmental impact. Saying that a garment is a part of a ”Conscious collection” and only 50 percent of the material is organic and that there are no other demands on transportation, labour rights, animal rights and such. That is just being deceptive if you ask me.
What would you advice consumers to do who seeks to create a sustainable closet and lifestyle?
Seek the beauty. Haha, I know. That sounds so cheesy. But really, you don’t need anything that is not truly beautiful. All your clothes should be carefully picked to serve your lifestyle. If you are into punkband t-shirts and jeans, make sure that you buy the bandmerch you really like, use hand-me-downs jeans and aim for the perfect fit. Don’t settle for good enough! If you want to buy sustainable, vegan shoes look for that and pass the synthetic cheap stuff made in god knows where. Shoes, active wear, underwear, hygiene products and cosmetics are really the only things you need to buy new. Try to buy everything else second hand. Make your purchase count and love your belongings until it is time to pass them on to somebody else.
“Make your purchase count and love your belongings until it is time to pass them on to somebody else.”