I was very excited to interview Grandt Mason, the founder of what may be the coolest (and first ever, as far as I’m aware of) ethically-made vegan footwear brand, Grandt Mason Originals. Straight out of Cape Town in South Africa, these shoes have so many awesome features that highlight comfort and sustainability while minimizing harmful effects on the environment. Mason spoke with me about the story behind his brand and how he hopes Grandt Mason Originals will be a solution to mass-produced products and a way to reinvigorate artisan skills as well as ethical, consumer choices. I’m hoping these will be available in the U.S. soon otherwise, the Grandt Mason factory is one more stop on my dream trip to Cape Town!
Read the full article on Ecouterre here!
Grandt Mason Originals is a unique line of vegan, machine washable, leather-free handmade shoes for women and men produced locally and using resident talent in South Africa. From boots to ballet flats, sandals, and lace-ups, all shoes are 90% biodegradable, have double padded insoles, machine washable fabrics, non-slip sheet rubber soles that can be easily retreaded, as well as no stiffeners to allow shoes to be packed flat for traveling. The shoe’s rubber soles can be detached and recycled, while the upper materials are biodegradable, all having minimal effects on the environment. Fabrics are upcycled from local South African textile markets. If you’re in the Cape Town area where the Grandt Mason atelier is located, you can stop by to fully customize your own pair of shoes!
Take a peek at these beautiful shoes:
“Sustainability and fair trade are very important to us and are at the heart of every decision made on all levels of our operation. These decisions coupled with a unique approach to design, dictate the look and feel of our footwear.”
“Our footwear promotes the idea of the cobbler and the artisan [by] having a shoe custom-made to one’s individual taste and preserving the life-span of the shoe for years to come”
What are your thoughts? Would you wear these shoes?
Photos courtesy of Grandt Mason Originals, Ecouterre
Rebecca
These look awesome! The concept is fabulous and I would definitely wear the styles I see in the pictures. I love that the soles can be detached and recycled. I also have to admit that I have been crushing on products from South Africa lately 😉 Thank you for sharing and I hope they will make their way to the USA!
Kasey Michelle
I agree, I absolutely love the idea of detachable/recyclable soles. It’s so smart! So many cool things from South Africa have been peaking my interest too. 😉 Thanks for reading, Rebecca!