Much is said about "ethical" leathers and in particular many claim vegetable-tanned leather to be the most ethical because its tanning process is made from vegetable tannins from plants.

It is true that vegetable-tanned leather can be a more virtuous option, but it is not the only one, and above all it is not suitable for all products and especially for footwear because it is drier, thicker and rougher.

We therefore prefer the alternative of leather called "Metal Free". This means that no metal is used for tanning. No chromium 3, no chromium 6 or any other metal or chemical process, but a synthetic process. The disadvantage of this type of tanning, as with vegetable-tanned leather, is that it uses more water. However, since this water is much less polluted than with traditional tanning, tanneries are now able to reuse it, thus creating a closed circuit.

That is why this is the best option for us to date, both from an ecological point of view and for the flexibility, colour depth and roundness of the hand that it provides.

Many people have asked us why we don't use Vegan leather when we claim to be a sustainable brand.

The answer revolves around 3 points:

1/ Vegan leather is not a long term sustainable alternative. Firstly because in 90% of cases it is made from materials derived from plastic and petrol, which makes it a synthetic material that does not age well over time.

Even leathers made from pineapple or apple fibres contain plastic in the form of micro-particles.

Replacing leather with petroleum-based materials does not seem to us to be an ecological solution.

2/ We are well aware that leather is not perfect, but there is also a reason why this material has been used for thousands of years to make durable quality products. Today, it is still the most suitable material, at least for shoes, because beautiful leather, if well maintained, improves over time and can last for decades.

3/ Vegan leather is not suitable for footwear. A shoe needs to breathe because feet tend to sweat during the day. However, because vegan leather is chemical and plastic-based, it is waterproof and the foot does not breathe normally, sweats and ends up hurting. This is why leather, a natural material, remains the most suitable.

Our creative process works organically, but above all it is based on several fundamental elements.

1/ we work hand in hand with the manufacturer from the first drafts to understand the technical feasibility and thus optimize our time and means.

2/ our product must have a usefulness, a function and be aesthetically and qualitatively durable to be timeless.

3/ we don't choose between design and commitment. Design is the most important element because our primary role is to make something beautiful, but above all we must do it well and respect our ethical commitments. If they cannot be respected, then the project is abandoned or postponed until we find the right way to do it.

We also ask ourselves several questions such as: do I really need this model? Why should I develop this subject rather than another? Doing less to do better and wasting less is the principle that guides us every day.

4/ we take all the time we need and don't rush anything. A shoe requires on average 80 operations, from the carved wooden last to the boxing. We take much more time to design our shoes than other major brands. The attention we pay to each step of the manufacturing process is extreme and uncompromising.

5/ We are our first customers and consumers and probably the most demanding. As long as the product does not fully satisfy us, we continue to refine it.

Today : we can claim to be a Low Carbon company because we minimize our emissions as much as possible:

By producing locally: all our components are produced about 40km around the factory and 90% of our raw materials come from Europe (Italy, France, Holland).

We're being frugal. We only develop what we absolutely believe in. And we have a development philosophy of only creating products that we know will last a long time.

We recycle our waste, minimize our transportation. We are in an economy of means all along the chain. "Less is more.

Tomorrow : We are a low carbon company but we produce in Italy and ship worldwide, living in an open economy. So our carbon footprint is very real and we will strive to offset it.

Naively, we thought that in 6 months we would succeed. But the importance of the subject is such that we cannot simply put a "carbon neutral" label on our shoes until we have found the most optimal solution for this compensation.

We are building Nomasei on a new philosophy of growth. We are a company, so it is natural to seek profitability, but expansion at all costs is not one of our values. We give priority to quality over quantity, and more than anything else, we want to remain free in our choices.

Sustainability and responsible practices have become marketing assets for many companies. But applying these terms to the existing model makes no sense. It is the business model that needs to be changed.

This is why we have based our partnership pact on the values of sustainability, ethical and social commitment. None of the partners can deviate from these values.

Nomasei has been built differently since its genesis. We are committed to our independence and to remaining a human-sized company. Small size makes our brand more agile and free to respond with commitment to each of the challenges we face.

Our desire is to grow enough to preserve know-how and territories, to encourage initiatives with a positive social impact and to participate in making the world a healthier place.

Luxury fashion has never cost so much and yet the products have never been so low quality. There was a time when buying a luxury or premium product meant that you would keep it for a long time, but this is no longer necessarily the case and we lack qualitative alternatives.

To put an end to this harmful system, we have an obsession: the fairest possible price so that as many people as possible can access our offer.

For this reason we focus our spending on what we consider to be the most important element: the product. We are uncompromising, especially on the quality of our materials.

Where our competitors are multiplying their cost prices exponentially and charging unreasonable margins, we have decided to control our own. Notably because only 15% of our budget is dedicated to communication while our competitors spend 80%. Our more agile online distribution model, with no middlemen from our factories to your locker room, allows us to offer you the best value for money.

This is also the reason why we cannot have a policy of balances. Our low prices and margins do not allow us to do so.

We are aware that we are participating at our own small level in the problem, producing goods that we do not necessarily need. This is why the slightest impact must be compensated positively by collaborating with militant associations and/or by donating a percentage of our profits to associations working to protect the environment. To this end, we plan to work with the 1% for the Planet organization, to which we donate 1% of our turnover.

If you're going to generate an impact, it has to be positive.

It is with this in mind that we have decided to work with the 1% for the Planetgroup.

This NGO created by Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) aims to develop a network of companies participating in this donation. By donating 1% of our annual turnover to this association, we participate in financing concrete projects in the field.

Associations are selected according to 6 criteria: climate, food, natural landscapes (such as national parks), water, wildlife and pollution.

They must meet one of these criteria, but they must also be NGOs, with sound finances and governance.

This collaboration also allows us to be part of a network of entrepreneurs who share the same values and thus create virtuous and resilient ecosystems. And to show that it is possible to be a successful business while being a philanthropist.